Responses of Forest NDVI in Northeast China to Precipitation Change

Abstract

Using the MODIS NDVI 2000—2009, the responses of forest vegetation to precipitation change in Northeast China were investigated. The results show that the NDVI in entire forest region had no significant change in the past ten years, but various regions had differences. NDVI of Xiao Xingan Mountain forest decreased, and in the north of research area NDVI increased obvious. There is more rainfall in forest region in the past ten years as contrary as the decreased precipitation in Northeast of China. The relation between forest and precipitation can be thought that the response is various in different regions because the strength of variation and different distribution characteristics of precipitation. In Liaoning coastal areas, there is significant positive correlation between forest NDVI and precipitation. Because of the obstruction of Korean peninsula on the moist circulation from the ocean, the precipitation in the forest region on the border Korean peninsula decreased to a certain extent. But those areas had less influences on forest vegetation resulted from peoples. The water content in soil came from the melted snow and rainfall can satisfy the need of vegetation growth. In this area, the rainfall of ten year mean is above 600mm. So the correlation coefficient shows negative. In Da/Xiao Xingan Mountain regions, the correlation coefficient between the coniferous forest NDVI and annual precipitation has no significance. The authors think that the low temperature and heavy snowfall lesson the influence of precipitation on forest vegetation.