Spatio-temporal Patterns of Vegetation Change in Kazakhstan from 1982 to 2015

doi:10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2017.04.009

Abstract

Abstract: The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), as a key indicator of vegetation growth, effectively provides information regarding vegetation growth status. Based on the Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS) NDVI time series data for Kazakhstan from 1982 to 2015, we analyzed the spatial pattern and changes in the vegetation growth trend. Results indicated that the three main types of vegetation in Kazakhstan are cropland, grassland and shrubland, and these are distributed from north to south. While the regional distribution pattern is obvious, the vegetation index decreased from north to south. The average NDVI values of the three main vegetation types are in the order of cropland > grassland > shrubland. During the period from 1982 to 2015, the NDVI initially increased (1982-1992), then decreased (1993-2007), and then increased again (2008-2015). The areas where NDVI decreased significantly accounted for 24.0% of the total land area. These areas with vegetation degradation are mainly distributed in the northwest junction between cropland and grassland, and in the cropland along the southern border. The proportions of total grassland, cropland and shrubland areas that were degraded are 23.5%, 48.4% and 13.7%, respectively. Areas with improved vegetation, accounting for 11.8% of the total land area, were mainly distributed in the mid-east cropland area, and the junction between cropland and grassland in the mid-east region.

Key words: desertification, Kazakhstan, land use, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), trends analysis

LUO Liang, DU Wenpeng, YAN Huimin, ZHEN Lin, DONG Yu. Spatio-temporal Patterns of Vegetation Change in Kazakhstan from 1982 to 2015[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2017, 8(4): 378-384.

References

[1] ADB, 2010. Central Asia atlas of natural resources/Central Asian Countries Initiative for Land Movement. Manila: Asian Development Bank.
[2] Alexandrov G A, Oikawa, T, Yamagata Y et al ., 2002. The scheme for globalization of a process-based model explaining gradations in terrestrial NPP and its application. Ecological Modelling, 148(3): 293-306.
[3] Alimaev I I, Kerven C, Torekhanov A et al ., 2008. The Impact of Livestock Grazing on Soils and Vegetation Around Settlements In: The Socio- Economic Causes and Consequences of Desertification in Central Asia. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series. Dordrecht: Springer.
[4] Almaganbetov N, Grigoruk V, 2008. Degradation of Soil in Kazakhstan: Problems and Challenges. In: Soil Chemical Pollution, Risk Assessment, Remediation and Security. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series. Dordrecht: Springer .
[5] Astana, 2005. THE PROGRAM ON COMBATING DESERTIFICATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN 2005-2015. Kazakhstan : Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
[6] Beurs D, Henebry G M, 2004. Land surface phenology, climatic variation, and institutional change: Analyzing agricultural land covesr change in Kazakhstan. Remote Sensing of Environment, 89(4): 497-509.
[7] Bolch T, 2007. Climate change and glacier retreat in northern Tien Shan (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan) using remote sensing data. Global and Planetary Change, 56(1-2): 1-12.
[8] Chen X, Bai J, Li X et al ., 2013. Changes in land use/land cover and ecosystem services in Central Asia during 1990-2009. Current Opinison in Environmental Sustainability, 5(1): 116-127.
[9] Eisfelder C, Klein I, Bekkuliyeva A et al. , 2017. Above-ground biomass estimation based on NPP time-series-A novel approach for biomass estimation in semi-arid Kazakhstan. Ecological Indicators, 72: 13-22.
[10] Eisfelder C, Klein I, Niklaus et al. , 2014. Net primary productivity in Kazakhstan, its spatio-temporal patterns and relation to meteorological variables. Journal of Arid Environments, 103(8): 17-30.
[11] Fensholt R, Langanke T, Rasmussen K et al ., 2012. Greenness in semi-arid areas across the globe 1981-2007 — an Earth Observing Satellite based analysis of trends and drivers. Remote Sensing of Environment, 121(2): 144-158.
[12] Hauck M, Artykbaeva G T, Zozulya T N et al ., 2016. Pastoral livestock husbandry and rural livelihoods in the forest-steppe of east Kazakhstan. Journal of Arid Environments, 133: 102-111.
[13] Kamp J, Urazaliev R, Balmford A et al ., 2015. Agricultural development and the conservation of avian biodiversity on the Eurasian steppes: a comparison of land-sparing and land-sharing approaches. Journal of Applied Ecology, 52(6): 1578-1587.
[14] Karnieli A, Gilad U, Ponzet M et al. , 2008. Assessing land-cover change and degradation in the Central Asian deserts using satellite image processing and geostatistical methods. Journal of Arid Environments, 72(11): 2093-2105.
[15] Kerven C, Shanbaev K, Alimaev I et al ., 2008. Livestock Mobility and Degradation in Kazakhstan’s Semi-Arid Rangelands . Nato Security Through Science, 6(1): 113-140.
[16] Kraemer R, Prishchepov A V, Müller D et al ., 2015. Long-term agricultural land-cover change and potential for cropland expansion in the former Virgin Lands area of Kazakhstan. Environmental Research Letters, 10(5): 12-14.
[17] Lioubimtseva E, Cole R, Adams J M et al ., 2005. Impacts of climate and land-cover changes in arid lands of Central Asia. Journal of Arid Environments, 62(2): 285-308.
[18] Lunetta R S, Johnson D M, Lyon J G et al ., 2004. Impacts of imagery temporal frequency on land-cover change detection monitoring. Remote Sensing of Environment, 89(4): 444-454.
[19] Mirzabaev A, Goedecke J, Dubovyk O et al ., 2016. Economics of Land Degradation in Central Asia. In: Economics of Land Degradation and Improvement - A Global Assessment for Sustainable Development. Cham: Springer
[20] Paul F, Huggel C, Kääb A et al ., 2004. Combining satellite multispectral image data and a digital elevation model for mapping debris-covered glaciers. Remote Sensing of Environment, 89(4): 510-518.
[21] Propastin P A, Kappas M, Erasmi S et al. , 2007. Assessment of desertification risk in Central Asia and Kazakhstan using NOAA AVHRR NDVI and precipitation data. Современные проблемы дистанционного зондирования Земли из космоса, 4(2): 304-313.
[22] Spivak L, Vitkovskaya I, Batyrbayeva M et al ., 2011. Detection of Desertification Zones Using Multi-year Remote Sensing Data. Springer Netherlands , 97(1): 235-239.
[23] Wang X, Hua T, Lang L et al. , 2017. Spatial differences of aeolian desertification responses to climate in arid Asia. Global and Planetary Change , 148: 22-28.
[24] Xu H J, Wang X P, Yang T B et al ., 2017. Trend shifts in satellite-derived vegetation growth in Central Eurasia, 1982-2013. Sci Total Environ , 579: 1658-1674.