This book integrates multi-source remote sensing data with comprehensive analyses of climate change and human activities to systematically examine the spatiotemporal evolution of vegetation coverage across the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin. Vegetation dynamics are fundamental to the understanding of regional ecological security and its sustainable development. Comprehension of the processes, driving mechanisms, and future trends of vegetation change is a critical focus in watershed ecology. This book also evaluates its response to environmental and socio-economic factors and employs integrated modeling to project future scenarios. By elucidating the dynamics and drivers of vegetation change, it provides a scientific basis for ecosystem protection, restoration strategies, and adaptive management in the Yellow River Basin. It is intended for researchers, graduate students, and policymakers in the fields of ecology, geography, and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Lifeng Zhang received the M.S. degree in cartography and geographic information system and the Ph.D. degree in environmental science and engineering from Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou, China in 2010 and 2017, respectively. Since January 2023, Dr. Zhang has been in faculty of geomatics, Lanzhou Jiaotong University as a professor. Dr. Zhang’s main research interests are remote sensing monitoring of ecological environment, visualization analysis, and land use change analysis. He has presided over many national and provincial projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the International Cooperation Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China, the sub-projects of the Central-Guided Local Projects, and other important projects. Dr. Zhang has published more than 40 high level academic papers including those indexed by SCI/EI, obtained 3 authorized invention patents, and published 1 monograph. 

Dr. Youdong Chen received the Ph.D. degree in engineering from Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China, in 2025. He is currently a lecturer with the school of civil and hydraulic engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, China. His research interests include synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) and its applications in earth surface processes. Moreover, he is also interested in monitoring and predicting of vegetation coverage.

Dr. Wenhui Wang received the Ph.D. degree in forestry engineering from Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, in 2025. He has been in faculty of geomatics, Lanzhou Jiaotong University as a lecturer and focused on geological hazard identification and monitoring based on InSAR technology. He is a member of the Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering and a reviewer for journals such as Remote Sensing and Environment, International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, and Nature Hazards Research.

Dr. Ran Ling received the M.S. degree in surveying and mapping engineering in 2025, and is now pursuing her Ph.D. degree in surveying and mapping science and technology at Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou, China. Dr. Ran’s main research interests are remote sensing monitoring of ecological environment and desertification.

Hongzhe Li received the M.S. degree in surveying and mapping science and technology in 2023 and is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in surveying and mapping science and technology in the Faculty of Geomatics, Lanzhou Jiaotong University. His research interests include ecological remote sensing and disaster remote sensing.