Spatiotemporal evolution of karst rocky desertification and its driving factors on a large spatial scale utilizing google earth engine

Karst rocky desertification (KRD) profoundly impacts the ecological health and sustainable development of karst areas. However, few studies have examined its evolution and driving factors on a large spatial scale. This research analyzed the KRD’s evolution and driving factors in southwestern China from 1990 to 2020 using Google Earth Engine (GEE). The main results were as follows: 1) Over the past three decades, KRD evolution demonstrated a trend of general improvement but localized deterioration. 2) Area transitions mainly occurred between non-rocky desertification (NRD) and light rocky desertification (LRD) in all periods, with the most significant degradation manifesting as the shift from NRD to LRD. 3) Among the single factors, precipitation consistently had the greatest contribution. Key interacting factors included combinations of precipitation and slope, precipitation and land use, slope and soil texture, and slope and wind speed. To address these findings, policymakers should implement localized KRD control projects with more focus on preventing NRD deterioration and conduct more in-depth research on the impacts of precipitation, geology, and human interference on KRD.