Impacts of the Three Gorges Dam on riparian vegetation in the Yangtze River Basin under climate change

As the largest hydroelectric project in the world, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) is expected to have significant environmental and ecological impacts on riparian vegetation in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB). However, existing studies have mainly focused on small segments of the YRB. In addition, few studies have quantified the responses of riparian vegetation to both climatic factors and dam construction. In this study, we investigated riparian vegetation dynamics over the entire YRB before, during, and after the construction of TGD from 1982 to 2015 using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Furthermore, the effects of climatic factors and dam construction on riparian vegetation were quantitatively analyzed using path analysis. The results demonstrate that the YRB has experienced a generally greening trend after TGD construction. The impacts of climate change on riparian vegetation have exhibited notable spatial heterogeneity and temperature is the main climatic factor that affects riparian vegetation growth. Moreover, TGD becomes the major contributor to riparian vegetation dynamics in the YRB after TGD construction. TGD has not only directly enhanced riparian vegetation but also indirectly affected riparian vegetation by regulating the microclimate. This study highlights the significance of anthropogenic interference when evaluating the relationships between riparian vegetation and climatic factors, providing useful insights for the effective management and conservation of large-scale riparian ecosystems.