Characterization of spatial and temporal changes in NNP and driving force in the Minqin Basin from 2000 to 2020

Change in the net primary productivity (NPP) of vegetation is a crucial aspect in evaluating the sustainability of regional ecological service supply. In addition, it is an effective approach to demonstrate ecological conservation strategies in the region. In this study, Landsat imagery was used to analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of vegetation NPP in the Minqin Basin from 2000 to 2020 (collected over a 5-year interval) using an improved CASA model and a geoprobe to identify the main factors. The difference in the NPP of vegetation in the Minqin Basin indicated an increase followed by a decrease, which at last increased. In addition, the spatial distribution was relatively high in the oasis region, whereas low in the desert area. Furthermore, the primary changes in vegetation NPP were observed in the oasis region, where NPP underwent a significant increase or extremely significant increase in townships and agricultural production areas and a significant decrease or extremely significant decrease at the edge between the oasis and the desert. In conclusion, the primary reason for the changes in NPP in the Minqin Basin varied in land utilization rate and vegetation coverage, which interacted with each other to display a two-factor enhancement effect. Thus, differences in vegetation NPP may provide insights into the management of the vegetation system of Minqin Basin in the future.