ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Environ. Sci.
Sec. Environmental Informatics and Remote Sensing
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2025.1576700
Spatial Heterogeneity of Landslide Distribution and Its Drivers in the Yangtze River Basin: A Remote Sensing and GIS-Based Multi-Factor Analysis
Provisionally accepted
- 1Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- 2Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- 3Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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The Yangtze River Basin (YRB) is one of the most economically and ecologically significant regions in China. Its complex topography and highly variable climatic conditions make it particularly susceptible to landslide disasters. In this study, landslide spatial density (LSD) is adopted as a quantitative indicator to characterize the spatial distribution of landslides. Multiple linear regression analysis and the geographic detector method are employed to evaluate the influence of both natural and anthropogenic factors on LSD. A Composite Human Activity Intensity Index (CHAII) is developed based on nighttime light intensity, population density, distance to impermeable surfaces, and distance to cultivated land. The driving factors analyzed include CHAII, slope, topographic ruggedness, precipitation, distance to river, and distance to fault.The results reveal that precipitation and distance to fault are the most significant drivers of LSD across the YRB, with precipitation showing the highest explanatory power. CHAII, precipitation, and topographic ruggedness exhibit strong positive correlations with LSD, whereas slope, distance to river, and distance to fault show negative correlations. Notably, slopes between 20°and 30°are associated with a reduction in LSD, suggesting a localized mitigating effect. In the upper YRB, intense precipitation significantly amplifies landslide risk, and even low levels of human activity can exacerbate landslide occurrence under such conditions. In the middle YRB, LSD is jointly influenced by natural and anthropogenic factors, reflecting a transitional zone in dominant driving mechanisms. In the lower YRB, the interaction between human activity and natural factors becomes more pronounced, contributing to increased spatial heterogeneity of LSD.The findings of this study provide valuable scientific insights for landslide risk management and contribute to the sustainable development of the YRB.
Keywords: Yangtze River Basin1, Landslide2, human activities3, spatial heterogeneity4, Multiple Linear Regression5, geographic detector6
Received: 14 Feb 2025; Accepted: 12 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Liu, Han, Cui, Li and Jin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Xi bin Han, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang Province, China
Xiao dong Cui, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
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