Monitoring Vegetation Coverage and Biomass Using Landsat Thematic Mapper 5 Images in a Foothill Artemisia-Ephemeral Rangeland of Uzbekistan

Mahmud A Muminov,Muhtor G Nosirov,Tolibjon Kh Mukimov,Tashpulot F Rajabov,Cheng Da,Jie Meng,Gaoming Jiang,Liyue Guo,Haitou Liu,Caihong Li

doi:10.4236/oje.2016.612066

Mahmud A Muminov, Muhtor G Nosirov + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2016.612066

Copy DOI

Abstract

This paper describes the capability of remote sensing in the monitoring of rangeland vegetation productivities and dynamics in the foothill areas of Uzbekistan, in order to enhance the sustainable utilization of natural resources. Seasonal productivity, including above-ground biomass, density, coverage, foliar chlorophyll, and carotene content, was measured for the Artemisia diffusa, the dominant species of the study area. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), extracted from time-series Landsat TM5 satellite images, was used to obtain pertinent data regarding vegetation coverage and potential productivities. Seasonal precipitation was found to be a key factor in governing soil moisture in the semi-arid foothill rangelands, which directly influence the dynamics of plants and productivities. Precipitation and soil moisture determine the length of the plant growing season and further influence NDVI values. We found that time-series NDVI was significantly correlated with the seasonal green and total above-ground biomass of vegetation and coverage of Artemisia diffusa, soil moisture, and changeable nitrogen. We also found that the foliar chlorophylls of Artemisia diffusa was significantly correlated with the green above-ground biomass (r = 0.44, P < 0.05). The results can contribute to further monitoring of ecosystem health and habitat conditions using remote sensing (RS) as an accurate tool in large rangeland areas.

Highlights

In the past few decades, overgrazing and other anthropogenic impacts on rangeland have resulted in serious soil erosion and land degradation
This paper describes the capability of remote sensing in the monitoring of rangeland vegetation productivities and dynamics in the foothill areas of Uzbekistan, in order to enhance the sustainable utilization of natural resources
Seasonal precipitation was found to be a key factor in governing soil moisture in the semi-arid foothill rangelands, which directly influence the dynamics of plants and productivities

Summary

Introduction

In the past few decades, overgrazing and other anthropogenic impacts on rangeland have resulted in serious soil erosion and land degradation. The forage and husbandry industries have been poorly affected [1] Such processes have become much more serious in the foothill areas of the rangeland in the Central Asian countries, in particular. Degradations of land [4] [5] and soil [6] are identified as the main stresses for the sustainability of rangeland around the world. Such a land use pattern would cause land degradation without planned grazing in the event of a population explosion [7] [8] [9]. It is difficult to evaluate the degree of degradation of the rangeland as well as the coverage and productivity of vegetation under conditions of intense human activity

Methods

Results

Conclusion