Changes in normalized difference vegetation index of deserts and dunes with precipitation in the middle Heihe River Basin

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2015.0389

Abstract

Abstract: AimsPrecipitation is the major water source for desert ecosystems, with its temporal dynamics significantly driving the changes of ecosystem structure and function in desert regions. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the changes in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with seasonal precipitation and different climate years in two cover types (desert and dune).MethodsBased on the daily rainfall dataset of 2000-2012 in the middle Heihe River Basin in Northwest China and the NDVI extracted from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) images, we performed linear regression analysis to examine the correlation of NDVI_INT (accumulated NDVI) with precipitation in two cover types (desert and dune). Two measures of the precipitation are P_c (cool-season precipitation from last September to late February) and P_w (warm-season precipitation in between March and August), while NDVI was characterized with NDVI_INT-pys (previous-year during the different climate years (dry: 2001-2003, wet: 2004-2007)) and the different periods of a growing season (i.e. whole growing season from May through September, early growing season in between May and June, and late growing season in between July and September).Important findings We found that: (1) the determinants of growing season NDVI_INT and their order were NDVI_INT-pys > P_c > P_w for the deserts, while the order was P_w > NDVI_INT-pys for the dunes. The determinants and their order of NDVI_INT in early growing season were NDVI_INT-pys > P_c for the desert, while they were NDVI_INT-pys > P_c = P_w for the late growing season. However, for the dunes, NDVI_INT of the early and late growing season appeared determined by NDVI_INT-pys and P_w, respectively. (2) During the dry and wet periods, precipitation was not a significant factor influencing NDVI_INT for the desert and dune. However, significant increases in NDVI_INTwere observed at dune under wet condition. With the wet years continued, the length of the wet years become an important determinant of NDVI_INT at both cove types, particularly at dune. In addition, it appeared that different changes in NDVI with precipitation existed between the two cover types, but with very similar effects of time-lag. These findings provide useful references for further understanding the mechanisms of NDVI changes with precipitation.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201612004

Key words: accumulated normalized difference vegetation index (NDVIINT), precipitation of cold season, precipitation of warm season, dry and wet climate period, lag time, ecohydrology

Fang LI, Wen-Zhi ZHAO. Changes in normalized difference vegetation index of deserts and dunes with precipitation in the middle Heihe River Basin[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2016, 40(12): 1245-1256.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2015.0389

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2016/V40/I12/1245

Figures/Tables 10

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	特征 Characteristics	沙质荒漠 Dune	砾质荒漠 Desert
植被特征 Vegetation properties	灌木盖度 Shrub cover (%)	12.2 ± 2.8	11.2 ± 1.4
	草本盖度 Grass cover (%)	17.5 ± 2.1	2.4 ± 0.3
	植被高度 Vegetation height (cm)	67 ± 23	19 ± 9
	归一化植被指数均值 Average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)¹⁾	0.132 ± 0.014	0.075 ± 0.008
	物种丰富度 Species richness	18	11
	建群种 Dominant species	泡泡刺 Nitraria sphaerocarpa, 沙拐枣 Calligonum mongolicum	红砂 Reaumurta soongorica, 泡泡刺 Nitraria sphaerocarpa
土壤特征 Soil properties	砂粒-粉粒-黏粒 Sandy-silt-clay (0-20 cm) (%)	90-7-3²⁾	73-23-4³⁾
	容重 Bulk density (0-20 cm) (g·m^-3)	1.57 ± 0.10⁴⁾	1.63 ± 0.19³⁾
	总孔隙度 Pore space (0-20 cm) (%)	>39	39 ± 7³⁾
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (0-20 cm)(%)	1.78 ± 0.46	2.10 ± 0.68
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (20-40 cm)(%)	2.09 ± 0.42	2.81 ± 0.62
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (40-60 cm)(%)	2.13 ± 0.60	2.27 ± 0.31
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (60-180 cm)(%)	2.02 ± 2.23	1.79 ± 0.33

	特征 Characteristics	沙质荒漠 Dune	砾质荒漠 Desert
植被特征 Vegetation properties	灌木盖度 Shrub cover (%)	12.2 ± 2.8	11.2 ± 1.4
	草本盖度 Grass cover (%)	17.5 ± 2.1	2.4 ± 0.3
	植被高度 Vegetation height (cm)	67 ± 23	19 ± 9
	归一化植被指数均值 Average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)¹⁾	0.132 ± 0.014	0.075 ± 0.008
	物种丰富度 Species richness	18	11
	建群种 Dominant species	泡泡刺 Nitraria sphaerocarpa, 沙拐枣 Calligonum mongolicum	红砂 Reaumurta soongorica, 泡泡刺 Nitraria sphaerocarpa
土壤特征 Soil properties	砂粒-粉粒-黏粒 Sandy-silt-clay (0-20 cm) (%)	90-7-3²⁾	73-23-4³⁾
	容重 Bulk density (0-20 cm) (g·m^-3)	1.57 ± 0.10⁴⁾	1.63 ± 0.19³⁾
	总孔隙度 Pore space (0-20 cm) (%)	>39	39 ± 7³⁾
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (0-20 cm)(%)	1.78 ± 0.46	2.10 ± 0.68
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (20-40 cm)(%)	2.09 ± 0.42	2.81 ± 0.62
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (40-60 cm)(%)	2.13 ± 0.60	2.27 ± 0.31
	土壤水分 Soil water content⁵⁾ (60-180 cm)(%)	2.02 ± 2.23	1.79 ± 0.33

年份 Years	降水 Precipitation (mm)	气候期 Climate period	年份 Year	降水 Precipitation (mm)	气候期 Climate period
1999	75.8	非干旱或湿润期 No dry or wet period	2008	111.6	非干旱或湿润期 No dry or wet period
2000	118.4	非干旱或湿润期 No dry or wet period	2009	87.3
2001	55.7	干旱期 Dry period	2010	143.5
2002	106.4		2011	188.1
2003	62.5		2012	105.8
2004	134.3	湿润期 Wet period	2013	113.2
2005	116.2		平均值^*	109.7
2006	122.2		Mean^*
2007	140.2

年份 Years	降水 Precipitation (mm)	气候期 Climate period	年份 Year	降水 Precipitation (mm)	气候期 Climate period
1999	75.8	非干旱或湿润期 No dry or wet period	2008	111.6	非干旱或湿润期 No dry or wet period
2000	118.4	非干旱或湿润期 No dry or wet period	2009	87.3
2001	55.7	干旱期 Dry period	2010	143.5
2002	106.4		2011	188.1
2003	62.5		2012	105.8
2004	134.3	湿润期 Wet period	2013	113.2
2005	116.2		平均值^*	109.7
2006	122.2		Mean^*
2007	140.2

降水 Precipitation		因素 Factor	自由度 df	F	p
<5 mm降水 precipitation	发生次数 Frequency	季节 Season	3	18.433	<0.001
		时间段 Period of time	1	6.223	0.014
		季节×时间段 Season × Period of time	3	3.206	0.025
	降水量 Precipitation	季节 Season	3	30.218	<0.001
		时间段 Period of time	1	3.305	0.071
		季节×时间段 Season × Period of time	3	2.950	0.034
>10 mm降水 precipitation	发生次数 Frequency	季节 Season	3	27.355	<0.001
		时间段 Period of time	1	0.477	0.491
		季节×时间段 Season × Period of time	3	0.606	0.612
	降水量 Precipitation	季节 Season	3	25.799	<0.001
		时间段 Period of time	1	0.147	0.702
		季节×时间段 Season × Period of time	3	1.150	0.331