Evaluation of Global Historical Cropland Datasets with Regional Historical Evidence and Remotely Sensed Satellite Data from the Xinjiang Area of China

Global land use/cover change (LUCC) datasets are essential for quantitatively assessing the impacts of LUCC on global change, but many uncertainties in existing seriously hamper climate modeling. Evaluating reliability is a precondition improved data quality. In this study, based regional historical document-based reconstructions, satellite-based data, and reclamation evidence Xinjiang area China, accuracy rationality cropland HYDE 3.2 SAGE were evaluated by utilizing comparative analysis regarding three aspects, namely tendency area, cropland, differences spatial pattern. This study concluded that amount shows both disparate trends large absolute values. Spatially, indicated agricultural cultivation underwent expansion from south to north east west over past 300 years; however, revealed patterns period similar those current period. These attributable basic assumptions, per capita estimates, reconstruction methods datasets. The findings highlight necessity studies area.