Studying the dynamics of mountain ecosystems in the context of climate change employing remotely sensed data

摘要

This study was aimed to assess the spatio-temporal dynamic of ME using remote sensing methods. SPOT and AVHRR satellite data were used. Average annual, monthly and decade precipitation and temperature data obtained between 1982-2014 from 5 meteorological stations were used. NDVI, Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI) and Vegetation Health Index (VHI) were calculated and compared with meteorological data. Analyzing the dynamics of average NDVI, VCI, TCI, VHI for the entire area of Syunik marz (Armenia) has indicated that it has a cyclic character with a growth trend. NDVI and VCI show a steady growth, whereas TCI decreases, so wholly the dynamic trend of VHI is stable. Collation between average decade meteorological data for 1998-2013 and NDVI has indicated that during vegetation growing season the vegetation dynamics is determined by the amount of precipitation and average temperature recorded not in the given, but in previous and particularly 2~(th) and 3~(th) decades. So, collation between RS and meteorological data for more than 30 years supports a conclusion that there is a clear rise in productivity of the studied region's ecosystems in the context of climate change.