Abstract: Hexi is located in arid and semi-arid area of Northwest China, which is a typical ecologically fragile area. We examined the temporal and spatial variations of vegetation ecological quality in the inland river basins in Hexi based on watershed scale and quantified the response of vegetation to climate change and human activities, aiming to provide scientific reference for future ecological protection and construction in inland river basins. Based on vegetation ecological quality index (EQI) and meteorological data, the temporal and spatial variations of vegetation EQI in the inland river basins of Hexi from 2000 to 2022, as well as the contribution rates of climate change and human activities were investigated by using the methods of trend analysis, partial correlation analysis and multiple regression residuals analysis. The average vegetation EQI from 2000 to 2022 was 6.9, which showed a significant upward trend with a growth rate of 0.8·10 a^-1. Among the three major basins, Shiyang River basin had the highest average value and average annual growth rate of EQI. The area with the improved vegetation EQI accounted for 80.3% of the total since 2000. The proportions of the areas with improved and degraded vegetation EQI were 30.1% and 0.9% from 2000 to 2010, and 4.8% and 15.2% from 2010 to 2022, respectively. The vegetation EQI was positively correlated with temperature and precipitation, and was more sensitive to precipitation. The areas with positive contributions of climate change and human activities to the variations in vegetation ecological quality accounted for 77.3% and 72.9%, while those with negative contributions accounted for 9.7% and 19.0%, respectively. Overall, the vegetation ecological quality in the inland river basins in Hexi was jointly affected by climate change and human activities. In the areas with degraded vegetation ecological quality, the effect of human activities was greater than that of climate change.

Key words: vegetation ecological quality index, temporal and spatial variation,  , climate change, human activity, contribution rate