Space images as one of the tools for the rangelands condition assessment in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Relevance. Kazakhstan possesses enormous pasture resources, which in turn requires proper management and regulation. Drought, climate change, plant degradation and declining grazing resources have led to a shortage of feed , which led to massive livestock deaths in 2021. Lack of up-to-date information on the condition of rangelands is the main problem for Kazakhstan. The use of Earth remote sensing data makes it possible to obtain important information about the dynamic and spatial characteristics of pasture vegetation. Methodological substantiation of remote sensing data for the assessment of pasture lands formed the basis of the conducted research. Detailed and regularly updated results of assessing the rangelands condition based on space monitoring data will increase the efficiency of using the country’s pasture resources.Materials and methods. For remote assessment of pasture lands the following methods were used: cartographic, geographical, mathematical, methods of spatial analysis of remote sensing data and geoinformation design. Optical images from KazEOSat-2 and Sentinel-2 satellites for 2021, the results of a field survey, online platforms Land Viewer from EOS and Earth Explorer from USGS were used to mapping the main indicators of pasture lands of the Pavlodar region of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a remote sensing data.Results. This article presents the results of using space monitoring methods to assess the condition and productivity of rangelands on the example of one region of Kazakhstan. Interpretation methods of remote sensing data using field data decryption and verification of data, initial cartographic data and geobotanical analysis of reference territories have been substantiated. The main stages of data processing are presented. Based on the results of the work, schematic maps of the main indicators of the pastures of the studied territory were developed according to remote sensing data, information was formed on the parameters of the productivity of the pastures of the studied territory.