TEMPORAL RESPONSES OF VEGETATION TO CLIMATE VARIABLES IN TEMPERATE STEPPE OF NORTHERN CHINA

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2007.0133

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Vegetation has strong temporal response to climate variables in some regions. The normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) is generally recognized as a good indicator of terrestrial vegetation, so it can be used to analyze temporal responses of vegetation to climate variables. This study addresses two key questions: a) How quickly and over what time period does NDVI respond to different patterns of climate variables? b) How does NDVI respond to weather variation for different temperate steppe types of northern China?

Methods We calculated 1) linear correlations between monthly climate variables and NDVI for 1983-1997, 2) NDVI-precipitation correlation coefficients, with precipitation in four different time periods (1-4 months) and four different time lags (0-3 month lags) to evaluate the time period over which precipitation most strongly influences on NDVI and 3) NDVI-temperature correlation coefficients for the current and previous month.

Important findings The correlation coefficients between NDVI and concurrent climate variables were all significant in three temperate steppe types. There is a strong relationship between precipitation and NDVI in temperate steppe of northern China. Correlation coefficients between NDVI and precipitation are high for specific combinations of time duration and lag. In terms of time lag, NDVI was most strongly related to the previous month, although differences existed among different steppe types. In terms of time duration, NDVI was most strongly related to the sum of precipitation over three months than one, two or four month periods. Precipitation from February back to November of the previous year was positively correlated with NDVI early in the growing season in meadow steppe, and there was a strong correlation between NDVI and precipitation for the preceding 1-2 months in the mid and late growing season in desert steppe and typical steppe. Temperature was moderately correlated with NDVI during the growing season, but differences existed among steppe types. For typical steppe and meadow steppe, temperature was positively correlated with NDVI early in the growing season. For desert steppe, NDVI was moderately related with temperature early in the growing season and negatively correlated with temperature in the mid growing season.

Key words: NDVI, precipitation, temperature, temporal responses, temperate steppe

LI Xia, LI Xiao-Bing, CHEN Yun-Hao, YING Ge. TEMPORAL RESPONSES OF VEGETATION TO CLIMATE VARIABLES IN TEMPERATE STEPPE OF NORTHERN CHINA[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2007, 31(6): 1054-1062.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2007.0133

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2007/V31/I6/1054

Figures/Tables 10

References 26

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草原类型 Steppe types		站点名称 Names of sites	经度(E) Longitude	纬度(N) Latitude
草甸草原 Meadow steppe	站点1	海拉尔	119°45'	49°13'
	Site 1	Hailaer
	站点2	西乌珠穆沁旗	117°36'	44°35'
	Site 2	Xiwuzhumuqinqi
典型草原 Typical steppe	站点3	新巴尔虎左旗	118°16'	48°13'
	Site 3	Xinbaerhuzuoqi
	站点4	满洲里	117°26'	49°34'
	Site 4	Manzhouli
	站点5	东乌珠穆沁旗	116°58'	45°31'
	Site 5	Dongwuzhumuqinqi
	站点6	新巴尔虎右旗	116°49'	48°40'
	Site 6	Xinbaerhuyouqi
	站点7	锡林浩特	116°04'	43°57'
	Site 7	Xilinhot
	站点8	阿巴嘎旗	114°57'	44°01'
	Site 8	Abagaqi
荒漠草原 Desert steppe	站点9	那仁宝力格	114°09'	44°37'
	Site 9	Narenbaolige
	站点10	朱日和	112°54'	42°24'
	Site 10	Zhurihe
	站点11	二连浩特	111°58'	43°39'
	Site 11	Erlianhot
	站点12	满都拉	110°08'	42°32'
	Site 12	Mandula

草原类型 Steppe types		站点名称 Names of sites	经度(E) Longitude	纬度(N) Latitude
草甸草原 Meadow steppe	站点1	海拉尔	119°45'	49°13'
	Site 1	Hailaer
	站点2	西乌珠穆沁旗	117°36'	44°35'
	Site 2	Xiwuzhumuqinqi
典型草原 Typical steppe	站点3	新巴尔虎左旗	118°16'	48°13'
	Site 3	Xinbaerhuzuoqi
	站点4	满洲里	117°26'	49°34'
	Site 4	Manzhouli
	站点5	东乌珠穆沁旗	116°58'	45°31'
	Site 5	Dongwuzhumuqinqi
	站点6	新巴尔虎右旗	116°49'	48°40'
	Site 6	Xinbaerhuyouqi
	站点7	锡林浩特	116°04'	43°57'
	Site 7	Xilinhot
	站点8	阿巴嘎旗	114°57'	44°01'
	Site 8	Abagaqi
荒漠草原 Desert steppe	站点9	那仁宝力格	114°09'	44°37'
	Site 9	Narenbaolige
	站点10	朱日和	112°54'	42°24'
	Site 10	Zhurihe
	站点11	二连浩特	111°58'	43°39'
	Site 11	Erlianhot
	站点12	满都拉	110°08'	42°32'
	Site 12	Mandula

时段 Duration
1	2	3	4
0	0~1	0~2	0~3
1	1~2	1~3	1~4
2	2~3	2~4	2~5
3	3~4	3~5	3~6

时段 Duration
1	2	3	4
0	0~1	0~2	0~3
1	1~2	1~3	1~4
2	2~3	2~4	2~5
3	3~4	3~5	3~6

	草甸草原 Meadow steppe	典型草原 Typical steppe	荒漠草原 Desert steppe	所有草原类型 All steppe types
降水 Precipitation	0.60^***	0.41^***	0.38^***	0.50^***
气温 Temperature	0.62^***	0.54^***	0.41^***	0.41^***