Detecting the dynamic changes of vegetation coverage in the Loess Plateau of China using NDVI data
Zhong Lina, Zhao Wenwu
(State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, College of Resources Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China）
Abstract：The Loess Plateau is one of the most environmentally vulnerable regions in China. Detecting the dynamic changes of vegetation coverage in the Loess Plateau will benefit the regional vegetation restoration and ecosystem rehabilitation. Based on the spatial data analysis software GeoDa and statistical analysis module of ArcGIS, the SPOT-VGT NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) data on August 21 of 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2012 were used to represent the annual maximum vegetation coverage, and the dynamic changes of vegetation coverage over time were detected. The results showed that, vegetation coverage in the Loess Plateau decreased from 1998 to 2003 but increased afterwards from 2003 to 2012; NDVI showed a significant spatial autocorrelation; the location and extent of the cold spots of NDVI were relatively stable, while the location and scope of the hotspots changed obviously, and were mainly distributed in Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces.
2013, Vol. 11 
