Analysis of the Wetland Environment Change in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Using Remote Sensing

Dynamic changes of the wetland in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were analyzed by using images of the TM (Thematic Mapper) in 1990, the ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) in 2000 and the CBERS (China and Brazil Earth Resource Satellite) in 2006 as the main data source in this paper. And through man-computer interactive visual interpretation the wetland data of different periods in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was obtained. The results show that the existing wetland area is about 131894.18 km2 in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The total area of the wetland decreased significantly in the first and then increased obviously over the past 16 years and lake wetland has the most distinct changes. At the same time, except for lake, the patch shape of other landscape elements has been becoming more and more complicated. The degradation trend of the wetland in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is not optimistic.