Discussion about the Desertification Monitoring Method using Spatial Patterns of Vegetation Index in Mongolian Arid and Semi-arid Region

Abstract

In existing desertification monitoring, a decrease in biomass is considered an indicator of desertification, although biomass does not necessarily decrease in the progress of desertification. In this study, we conducted desertification monitoring using the patterns of vegetation index along grazing gradients (NDVI spatial patterns hereafter) in a Mongolian arid and semi-arid region. Our results indicated that NDVI spatial patterns could distinguish different responses among different physiognomic vegetations, such as a gradual increase pattern in shrubland and a prominent pattern in grassland. We could also identify the progress of desertification by comparing NDVI spatial patterns in 1991 and in 2004.