ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT: The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from long-term satellite datasets (AVHRR/GIMMS [1981-2006] and MODIS/TERRA [2000-2010]) was used to estimate changes in the amount of vegetation. To investigate the causes of the vegetation change, we analyzed the month temperature, precipitation data and calculated the relationship with NDVI. The results indicated that the average NDVI was not seen clear increase and decrease tendency during the study period of 30 years, and annual NDVI change in the central part of the grasslands was larger compared with forest, desert and arable land. The NDVI in the growing season showed a high correlation with precipitation one to two months prior, and it turned out that there was a positive high correlation between temperature and NDVI in the early stage of the growing season in eastern Inner Mongolia, a negative correlation between June and August temperatures and NDVI in central Inner Mongolia.