The Shendong Mining Area, being the largest coal base in the world, has significant challenges in the intensive development and utilization of coal resources, as well as the impact of a dry climate, which can have serious negative effects on the growth of flora in the region. Investigating the spatial and temporal patterns of how meteorological drought affects vegetation in the Shendong Mining Area at various time scales can offer a scientific foundation for promoting sustainable development and ecological restoration in the region. This study utilizes the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from 1986 to 2020 in the Shendong Mining Area. It employs Slope trend analysis, a Mann–Kendall test, a Geographic Detector, and other methods to examine the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of meteorological drought at various time scales. Additionally, the study investigates the influence of these drought patterns on vegetation growth in the Shendong Mining Area. Across the mining area, there was a general decrease in the monthly average SPEI on an annual basis. However, on a seasonal, semi-annual, and annual basis, there was a gradual increase in the annual average SPEI, with a higher rate of increase in the southern region compared to the northern region. When considering the spatial variation trend in different seasons, both positive and negative trends were observed in winter and summer. The negative trend was mainly observed in the western part of the mining area, while the positive trend was observed in the eastern part. In spring, the mining area generally experienced drought, while in autumn, it generally experienced more precipitation. The mining area exhibits a prevailing distribution of vegetation, with a greater extent in the southeast and a lesser extent in the northwest. The vegetation coverage near the mine is insufficient, resulting in a low NDVI value, which makes the area prone to drought. Over the past few years, the mining area has experienced a significant increase in vegetation coverage, indicating successful ecological restoration efforts. Various forms of land use exhibit distinct responses to drought, with forests displaying the most positive correlation and barren land displaying the strongest negative correlation. Various types of landforms exhibit varying responses to drought. Loess ridge and hill landforms demonstrate the most pronounced positive association with monthly-scale SPEI values, whereas alluvial and floodplain landforms display the poorest positive correlation with yearly scale SPEI values. The general findings of this research can be summarized as follows: (1) The mining area exhibits a general pattern of increased humidity, with the pace of humidity increase having intensified in recent times. Seasonal variations exhibit consistent cyclic patterns. (2) There are distinct regional disparities in NDVI values, with a notable peak in the southeast and a decline in the northwest. The majority of the mining area exhibits a positive trend in vegetation recovery. (3) Regional meteorological drought is a significant element that influences changes in vegetation coverage in the Shendong Mining Area. Nevertheless, it displays complexity and is more obviously impacted by other factors at a small scale. (4) It should be noted that forests and barren land exert a more significant influence on SPEI values, despite their relatively lesser spatial coverage. The predominant land use type in most locations is grasslands; however, they have a relatively minor influence on SPEI. (5) A shorter time period, higher elevation, and steeper slope gradient all contribute to a larger correlation with drought.

Extensive coal mining activities can exert substantial negative impacts on surface ecosystems. Vegetation indices are widely recognized as effective indicators of land ecological conditions and provide valuable insights into long-term ecological changes in mining areas. In this study, the Zhaogu mining area of the Jiaozuo Coalfield was selected as the study site. Using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, the Kernel Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (kNDVI) was constructed to generate a vegetation dataset covering the period from 2010 to 2024. The temporal dynamics and future trends of vegetation coverage were analyzed using Theil–Sen median trend analysis, the Mann–Kendall test, the Hurst index, and residual analysis. Furthermore, the relative contributions of climatic factors and human activities to vegetation changes were quantitatively assessed. The results indicate that: (1) vegetation coverage in the Zhaogu mining area exhibits an overall improving trend, affecting approximately 77.1% of the study area, while slight degradation is mainly concentrated in the southeastern region, accounting for about 15.2%; (2) vegetation dynamics are predominantly characterized by low and relatively low fluctuations, covering approximately 78.5% of the region, whereas areas with high fluctuations are limited and mainly distributed in zones with intensive mining activities; although the current vegetation trend is generally increasing, future projections suggest a potential decline in approximately 55.8% of the area; and (3) vegetation changes in the Zhaogu mining area are jointly influenced by climatic factors and human activities, with climatic factors promoting vegetation growth in approximately 70.6% of the study area, while human activities exert inhibitory effects in about 24.2%, particularly in regions affected by mining operations and urban expansion.

Arid and semi-arid regions are highly sensitive and vulnerable to climate change and human activities. Clarifying their spatial distribution is of great significance for understanding regional drought dynamics. This research examines the Shendong mining region, employing time series data of vegetation growth anomalies derived from total primary productivity data to delineate ecological drought. The SPI dataset, representing meteorological drought, is utilized to identify drought frequency, duration, and intensity for both types of droughts based on the run theory. The drought characteristics of different land use patterns are analyzed, and the center of gravity of meteorological and ecological droughts in the study area are calculated. The results show the following: (1) The frequency, duration, and intensity of meteorological drought in the Shendong mining area are 0.74 times per year, 9.2 months, and 0.91, respectively. The frequency, duration, and intensity of ecological drought are 0.33 times per year, 18.2 months, and 0.09, respectively. (2) The intensity of meteorological and ecological droughts is generally consistent across different land use types. The frequency of meteorological drought is minimal for croplands and high-coverage grasslands. The duration of meteorological drought is shortest for high-coverage grasslands. High- and medium-to-high-coverage grasslands and cultivated lands have lower ecological drought frequencies. Low- and medium-to-low-coverage grasslands have relatively shorter ecological drought durations. (3) In regions where land use alterations are evident, the frequency and duration of meteorological drought in areas where cropland has been converted to grassland are relatively low. The frequency, duration, and intensity of ecological drought for croplands converted to grasslands and grasslands converted to croplands are similar. (4) The average incidence of meteorological drought transitioning into ecological drought in the study area is roughly 55%, with areas of stable land use demonstrating a more robust correlation between meteorological and ecological drought in croplands. In the converted areas, the correlation between meteorological drought and ecological drought is higher for croplands converted to grasslands. (5) The transition frequency from meteorological drought to ecological drought exceeds 60% in mining areas. Compared to other mining areas, the meteorological drought intensity near Jitu well and Daliuta well is notably higher. The research findings reveal the spatial distribution attributes and transition dynamics of meteorological and ecological droughts in the Shendong coal mining region, providing reference for the implementation of ecological restoration projects and protection measures in the area.