Monitoring Vegetation Patterns at the Syrdarya River Basin from 2000 to 2015 using MODIS Data

Abstract

The dependence of vegetation condition dynamics as expressed by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from hydro-climatic factors (Multiyear precipitation, land surface temperature) in the Syrdarya River Basin (SRB) was analyzed for the period of 16 years from 2000 to 2015. The analysis demonstrated a different correlation between NDVI and hydrometric parameters. According to experimental analyses, the average NDVI values reached a maximum in April and minimum in October, while the annual average values of land surface temperature were observed maximum in June and minimum in October. Correlation between precipitation and NDVI was positive and extraordinarily strong in Spring while the correlation between Land Surface Temperature (LST) and NDVI was found negative and strong. Correlation between LST and NDVI changed from positive in spring to negative in summer due to an increase in seasonal temperature and found a decrease of vegetation cover throughout the Syrdarya river basin. Desert vegetation area in plain part of SRB decreased while NDVI of cropland area in Syrdarya and Shu river basins remained the same or increased. Hydro-climatic factors negatively affected a decrease in vegetation cover, which leads to desertification processes.