Revealing the Fingerprint of Climate Change in Interannual NDVI Variability among Biomes in Inner Mongolia, China

An understanding of the response of interannual vegetation variations to climate change is critical for the future projection of ecosystem processes and developing effective coping strategies. In this study, the spatial pattern of interannual variability in the growing season normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for different biomes and its relationships with climate variables were investigated in Inner Mongolia during 1982–2015 by jointly using linear regression, geographical detector, and geographically weighted regression methodologies. The result showed that the greatest variability of the growing season NDVI occurred in typical steppe and desert steppe, with forest and desert most stable. The interannual variability of NDVI differed monthly among biomes, showing a time gradient of the largest variation from northeast to southwest. NDVI interannual variability was significantly related to that of the corresponding temperature and precipitation for each biome, characterized by an obvious spatial heterogeneity and time lag effect marked in the later period of the growing season. Additionally, the large slope of NDVI variation to temperature for desert implied that desert tended to amplify temperature variations, whereas other biomes displayed a capacity to buffer climate fluctuations. These findings highlight the relationships between vegetation variability and climate variability, which could be used to support the adaptive management of vegetation resources in the context of climate change.

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Declining Effect of Precipitation on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index of Grasslands in the Inner Mongolian Plateau, 1982–2010

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11188766 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (18) ◽

pp. 8766

Author(s):

Yanan Li ◽

Dan Wu ◽

Liangyan Yang ◽

Tiancai Zhou

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Inner Mongolia ◽

Carbon Balance ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Effect Of Temperature ◽

Mongolian Plateau ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Inner Mongolia Plateau ◽

Precipitation And Temperature

Grasslands play an irreplaceable role in maintaining carbon balance and stabilizing the entire Earth’s ecosystem. Although the grasslands in Inner Mongolia are sensitive and vulnerable to climate change, a generalized effect of climate change on the grasslands is still unavailable. In this study, we analyzed the effects of annual mean precipitation and annual mean temperature on the normalized difference vegetation index from 1982 to 2010 on the Inner Mongolia Plateau. Our results indicated that the normalized difference vegetation index was mostly affected by precipitation, followed by temperature. Spatially, temperature and precipitation had greater effects on normalized difference vegetation index in dry regions than in wet ones. In time series, the effect of precipitation on normalized difference vegetation index had significantly decreased from 1982 to 2010 (R2 = 0.11, p > 0.05). However, the effect of temperature on normalized difference vegetation index remained stable. The high variation effect of precipitation on normalized difference vegetation index was due to the significant decrease in precipitation from 1980 to 2010. Thus, 35.47% and 0.56% of the dynamic of normalized difference vegetation index from 1982 to 2010 was accounted for by the precipitation and temperature, respectively. Our findings highlighted that grasslands are adaptable to the significant increase in temperature, but are sensitive to the decrease in precipitation on the Inner Mongolia Plateau.

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Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Temporal Responses to Temperature and Precipitation in Arid Rangelands

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13050840 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 840

Author(s):

Ernesto Sanz ◽

Antonio Saa-Requejo ◽

Carlos H. Díaz-Ambrona ◽

Margarita Ruiz-Ramos ◽

Alfredo Rodríguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Time Lag ◽

Vegetation Indices ◽

Aridity Index ◽

Rangeland Degradation ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Lag Effect ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

Rangeland degradation caused by increasing misuses remains a global concern. Rangelands have a remarkable spatiotemporal heterogeneity, making them suitable to be monitored with remote sensing. Among the remotely sensed vegetation indices, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is most used in ecology and agriculture. In this paper, we research the relationship of NDVI with temperature, precipitation, and Aridity Index (AI) in four different arid rangeland areas in Spain’s southeast. We focus on the interphase variability, studying time series from 2002 to 2019 with regression analysis and lagged correlation at two different spatial resolutions (500 × 500 and 250 × 250 m2) to understand NDVI response to meteorological variables. Intraseasonal phases were defined based on NDVI patterns. Strong correlation with temperature was reported in phases with high precipitations. The correlation between NDVI and meteorological series showed a time lag effect depending on the area, phase, and variable observed. Differences were found between the two resolutions, showing a stronger relationship with the finer one. Land uses and management affected the NDVI dynamics heavily strongly linked to temperature and water availability. The relationship between AI and NDVI clustered the areas in two groups. The intraphases variability is a crucial aspect of NDVI dynamics, particularly in arid regions.

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NDVI-Based Vegetation Change in Inner Mongolia from 1982 to 2006 and Its Relationship to Climate at the Biome Scale

Advances in Meteorology ◽

10.1155/2014/692068 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Linghui Guo ◽

Shaohong Wu ◽

Dongsheng Zhao ◽

Yunhe Yin ◽

Guoyong Leng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Land Use ◽

Land Use Change ◽

Inner Mongolia ◽

Vegetation Change ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Potential Evapotranspiration ◽

Vegetation Type ◽

Growing Season ◽

Desert Steppe

Based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), we analyzed vegetation change of the six major biomes across Inner Mongolia at the growing season and the monthly timescales and estimated their responses to climate change between 1982 and 2006. To reduce disturbance associated with land use change, those pixels affected by land use change from the 1980s to 2000s were excluded. At the growing season scale, the NDVI increased weakly in the natural ecosystems, but strongly in cropland. Interannual variations in the growing season NDVI for forest was positively linked with potential evapotranspiration and temperature, but negatively correlated with precipitation. In contrast, it was positively correlated with precipitation, but negatively related to potential evapotranspiration for other natural biomes, particularly for desert steppe. Although monthly NDVI trends were characterized as heterogeneous, corresponding to monthly variations in climate change among biome types, warming-related NDVI at the beginning of the growing season was the main contributor to the NDVI increase during the growing season for forest, meadow steppe, and typical steppe, but it constrained the NDVI increase for desert steppe, desert, and crop. Significant one-month lagged correlations between monthly NDVI and climate variables were found, but the correlation characteristics varied greatly depending on vegetation type.

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Impacts of Climate on Spatiotemporal Variations in Vegetation NDVI from 1982–2015 in Inner Mongolia, China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11030768 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 768 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xinxia Liu ◽

Zhixiu Tian ◽

Anbing Zhang ◽

Anzhou Zhao ◽

Haixin Liu

Keyword(s):

Inner Mongolia ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Grassland Management ◽

Spatiotemporal Variations ◽

Study Region ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Vegetation Activity ◽

One Year ◽

Scale Data

By using the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) third-generation normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI3g) data, this paper explores the spatiotemporal variations in vegetation and their relationship with temperature and precipitation between 1982 and 2015 in the Inner Mongolia region of China. Based on yearly scale data, the vegetation changes in Inner Mongolia have experienced three stages from 1982 to 2015: the vegetation activity kept a continuous improvement from 1982–1999, then downward between 1999–2009, and upward from 2009 to 2015. On the whole, the general trend is increasing. Several areas even witnessed significant vegetation increases: in the east and south of Tongliao and Chifeng, north of Xing’anmeng, north and west of Hulunbir, and in the west of Inner Mongolia. Based on monthly scale data, one-year and half-year cycles exist in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and temperature but only a one-year cycle in precipitation. Finally, based on the one-year cycle, the relationship between NDVI and climatic were studied; NDVI has a significant positive correlation with temperature and precipitation, and temperature has a greater effect in promoting vegetation growth than precipitation. Moreover, based on a half-year changing period, NDVI is only affected by temperature in the study region. Those findings can serve as a critical reference for grassland managers or policy makers to make informed decisions on grassland management.

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Vegetation Change and Its Response to Climate Change between 2000 and 2016 in Marshes of the Songnen Plain, Northeast China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12093569 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 3569 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yanji Wang ◽

Xiangjin Shen ◽

Ming Jiang ◽

Xianguo Lu

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Vegetation Change ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Growing Season ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

Climate Data ◽

Songnen Plain ◽

Asymmetric Effects ◽

Climate Change Effects

Songnen Plain is a representative semi-arid marshland in China. The Songnen Plain marshes have undergone obvious loss during the past decades. In order to protect and restore wetland vegetation, it is urgent to investigate the vegetation change and its response to climate change in the Songnen Plain marshes. Based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and climate data, we investigated the spatiotemporal change of vegetation and its relationship with temperature and precipitation in the Songnen Plain marshes. During 2000–2016, the growing season mean NDVI of the Songnen Plain marshes significantly (p < 0.01) increased at a rate of 0.06/decade. For the climate change effects on vegetation, the growing season precipitation had a significant positive effect on the growing season NDVI of marshes. In addition, this study first found asymmetric effects of daytime maximum temperature (Tmax) and nighttime minimum temperature (Tmin) on NDVI of the Songnen Plain marshes: The growing season NDVI correlated negatively with Tmax but positively with Tmin. Considering the global asymmetric warming of Tmax and Tmin, more attention should be paid to these asymmetric effects of Tmax and Tmin on the vegetation of marshes.

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Driving Forces of the Changes in Vegetation Phenology in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13234952 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (23) ◽

pp. 4952

Author(s):

Xigang Liu ◽

Yaning Chen ◽

Zhi Li ◽

Yupeng Li ◽

Qifei Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Temperature ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Driving Forces ◽

Growing Season ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Vegetation Phenology ◽

Climate Change Research ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Phenological change is an emerging hot topic in ecology and climate change research. Existing phenological studies in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) have focused on overall changes, while ignoring the different characteristics of changes in different regions. Here, we use the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS3g) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) dataset as a basis to discuss the temporal and spatial changes in vegetation phenology in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau from 1982 to 2015. We also analyze the response mechanisms of pre-season climate factor and vegetation phenology and reveal the driving forces of the changes in vegetation phenology. The results show that: (1) the start of the growing season (SOS) and the length of the growing season (LOS) in the QTP fluctuate greatly year by year; (2) in the study area, the change in pre-season precipitation significantly affects the SOS in the northeast (p < 0.05), while, the delay in the end of the growing season (EOS) in the northeast is determined by pre-season air temperature and precipitation; (3) pre-season precipitation in April or May is the main driving force of the SOS of different vegetation, while air temperature and precipitation in the pre-season jointly affect the EOS of different vegetation. The differences in and the diversity of vegetation types together lead to complex changes in vegetation phenology across different regions within the QTP. Therefore, addressing the characteristics and impacts of changes in vegetation phenology across different regions plays an important role in ecological protection in this region.

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Spatial and Temporal Changes in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Their Driving Factors in the Desert/Grassland Biome Transition Zone of the Sahel Region of Africa

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12244119 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (24) ◽

pp. 4119

Author(s):

Shupu Wu ◽

Xin Gao ◽

Jiaqiang Lei ◽

Na Zhou ◽

Yongdong Wang

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Transition Zone ◽

Human Activities ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Climate Factors ◽

Desert Grassland ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Grassland Biome ◽

Sahel Region

The ecological system of the desert/grassland biome transition zone is fragile and extremely sensitive to climate change and human activities. Analyzing the relationships between vegetation, climate factors (precipitation and temperature), and human activities in this zone can inform us about vegetation succession rules and driving mechanisms. Here, we used Landsat series images to study changes in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over this zone in the Sahel region of Africa. We selected 6315 sampling points for machine-learning training, across four types: desert, desert/grassland biome transition zone, grassland, and water bodies. We then extracted the range of the desert/grassland biome transition zone using the random forest method. We used Global Inventory Monitoring and Modelling Studies (GIMMS) data and the fifth-generation atmospheric reanalysis of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ERA5) meteorological assimilation data to explore the spatiotemporal characteristics of NDVI and climatic factors (temperature and precipitation). We used the multiple regression residual method to analyze the contributions of human activities and climate change to NDVI. The cellular automation (CA)-Markov model was used to predict the spatial position of the desert/grassland biome transition zone. From 1982 to 2015, the NDVI and temperature increased; no distinct trend was found for precipitation. The climate change and NDVI change trends both showed spatial stratified heterogeneity. Temperature and precipitation had a significant impact on NDVI in the desert/grassland biome transition zone; precipitation and NDVI were positively correlated, and temperature and NDVI were negatively correlated. Both human activities and climate factors influenced vegetation changes. The contribution rates of human activities and climate factors to the increase in vegetation were 97.7% and 48.1%, respectively. Human activities and climate factors together contributed 47.5% to this increase. The CA-Markov model predicted that the area of the desert/grassland biome transition zone in the Sahel region will expand northward and southward in the next 30 years.

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Phenology Response to Climatic Dynamic across China’s Grasslands from 1985 to 2010

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information ◽

10.3390/ijgi7080290 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (8) ◽

pp. 290 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jun Wang ◽

Tiancai Zhou ◽

Peihao Peng

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Growing Season ◽

Northern China ◽

Plant Phenology ◽

Meadow Steppe ◽

Typical Steppe ◽

Alpine Steppe

Because the dynamics of phenology in response to climate change may be diverse in different grasslands, quantifying how climate change influences plant growth in different grasslands across northern China should be particularly informative. In this study, we explored the spatiotemporal variation of the phenology (start of the growing season [SOS], peak of the growing season [POS], end of the growing season [EOS], and length of the growing season [LOS]) across China’s grasslands using a dataset of the GIMMS3g normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, 1985–2010), and determined the effects of the annual mean temperature (AMT) and annual mean precipitation (AMP) on the significantly changed phenology. We found that the SOS, POS, and EOS advanced at the rates of 0.54 days/year, 0.64 days/year, and 0.65 days/year, respectively; the LOS was shortened at a rate of 0.62 days/year across China’s grasslands. Additionally, the AMT combined with the AMP explained the different rates (ER) for the significantly dynamic SOS in the meadow steppe (R2 = 0.26, p = 0.007, ER = 12.65%) and typical steppe (R2 = 0.28, p = 0.005, ER = 32.52%); the EOS in the alpine steppe (R2 = 0.16, p < 0.05, ER = 6.22%); and the LOS in the alpine (R2 = 0.20, p < 0.05, ER = 6.06%), meadow (R2 = 0.18, p < 0.05, ER = 16.69%) and typical (R2 = 0.18, p < 0.05, ER = 19.58%) steppes. Our findings demonstrated that the plant phenology in different grasslands presented discrepant dynamic patterns, highlighting the fact that climate change has played an important role in the variation of the plant phenology across China’s grasslands, and suggested that the variation and relationships between the climatic factors and phenology in different grasslands should be explored further in the future.

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Land Degradation and Development Processes and Their Response to Climate Change and Human Activity in China from 1982 to 2015

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13173516 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (17) ◽

pp. 3516

Author(s):

Jianfang Kang ◽

Yaonan Zhang ◽

Asim Biswas

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Human Activity ◽

Land Degradation ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Net Primary Productivity ◽

Land Development ◽

Quantitative Relationship ◽

Distance Method ◽

Temperature And Precipitation

Land degradation and development (LDD) has become an urgent global issue. Quick and accurate monitoring of LDD dynamics is key to the sustainability of land resources. By integrating normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and net primary productivity (NPP) based on the Euclidean distance method, a LDD index (LDDI) was introduced to detect LDD processes, and to explore its quantitative relationship with climate change and human activity in China from 1985 to 2015. Overall, China has experienced significant land development, about 45% of China’s mainland, during the study period. Climate change (temperature and precipitation) played limited roles in the affected LDD, while human activity was the dominant driving force. Specifically, LDD caused by human activity accounted for about 58% of the total, while LDD caused by climate change only accounted for 0.34% of the total area. Results from the present study can provide insight into LDD processes and their driving factors and promote land sustainability in China and around the world.

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