Study on the spatial differences and its time lag effect on climatic factors of the vegetation in the Longitudinal Range-Gorge Region

Abstract

This article analyzes the correlation of NDVI and two meteorological data including temperature and precipitation, and probes the spatial pattern of responding sensitivity of the vegetation to temperature and precipitation change. By constructing the NDVIr index, the relation between vegetation cover and land use in the Longitudinal Range-Gorge Region (LRGR) is revealed. The conclusion is as follows: (1) The time lag effect that vegetation responds to temperature and precipitation change is proven. Different regions have different delay time corresponding to maximum correlation coefficient. According to response time of precipitation and temperature combination, three kinds of temperature-precipitation forms are defined, namely, precipitation and temperature in the same time, precipitation prior to temperature and temperature prior to precipitation. (2) The spatial distribution of sensitivity, of which vegetation responses to temperature, is characterized by several high and low scattered correlation centers. Different from temperature, two insensitive regions and two sensitive belts are formed to present the response of vegetation to precipitation. (3) The NDVIr is constructed, which can perfectly reflect the corresponding relationship between meteorological factors and land use condition in the LRGR.