Scientific- Research Quarterly of Geographical Data (SEPEHR)

Scientific- Research Quarterly of Geographical Data (SEPEHR)

Monitoring and evaluation of vegetation indices based on Fuzzy Logic using MODIS satellite Imagery (Case study: Bamou National park-Shiraz)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Saharnaz Shekoohizadegan 1
Hassan Khosravi 2
Hossein Azarnivand 3
Gholamreza Zehtabian 3
Behzad Raygani 4
1 M. Sc. Expert in Desert Management Region, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran
2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran
3 Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran
4 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Environment, Alborz
10.22131/sepehr.2017.24813
Abstract
Abstract
Desertification means land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions in result of climate variability and human-activity. Desertification is the third major challenge for international community in twenty-first century after the two challenges of climate change and scarcity of fresh water.This phenomenon has been raised as one of the most striking aspect of environmental degradation and destruction of natural resources in the world.Desertification, byaffecting vegetation cover, water and soil, is a serious factor threatening national parks in arid and semi-arid regions including Iran.Executive actions related to desertification control must be based on the recognition of the current state of desertification and its intensity.The aim of this study was to evaluate and monitor desertification by usingvegetation indices (NDVI and EVI) extracted from MODIS satellite imagery and classification of desertification by using fuzzy logic.
Materials and Methods
The study area covers an area with about 47,244 hectares, which has been named as Bamou National Park.The height distribution of Bamou National Park shows that most of the area is locatedbetween 1700 and 1900 meters altitude and a maximum height of the study area is 2700 meters above the sea level.The average annual rainfall in the main station area representing the Shiraz station is 392.9 mm with a mean annual temperature of 17.9°C.Based on Domarten developed method, Bamou National Park has a semi-arid climate and is cold with winter rains.
In this research, to monitor and evaluate desertification in Shiraz Bamou national park, the annual changes in vegetation cover were studied during the period of 2000 - 2014. On the other hand, this paper tries to monitor desertification changes using long term-time series analysis of satellite data and vegetationcover indices (EVI & NDVI).Therefore, in this study, profile and map of annual changes were prepared on IDRISI Selva and then analyzed using the MOD13A1product, MODIS sensor, Terra satellite and Aqua system. Finally, using fuzzy logic, profile and desertification intensity map were prepared for 2000-2014. According to the climatic conditions of the region and based on expert opinion, the value of fuzzy classes index changes, the software IDRIDIselva and Arc GIS 10.2 severity of desertification on each indicator based on fuzzy logic was prepared.
 Discussion and results
 Based on the results of EVI & NDVI, vegetation destruction and desertification intensity have been more in the north west of the study area. The reason for this destruction and desertification is the construction of the new city of Sadra in part of the North West and the west of this park. It can be said that, this degradation is a new form of desertification entitled anthropogenic desertification.As a result of the construction of Sadra city in the western area of the park, it is practically impossible to protect this area.The results show that EVI is more sensitive than NDVI for monitoring parameters such as canopy cover, leaf area index, canopy structure, phenology, and stress plants. The EVI index due to greater sensitivity to changes in areas with high biomass (vegetation growth season) and mitigating the effects of atmospheric conditions on vegetation index values is more applicable to monitor vegetation changes than NDVI.This paper introduces fuzzy logicas one of the methods for classifying the severity of desertification. Fuzzy logic can be used to determine the boundaries of class and privilege of desertification indicators and explain the process. Fuzzy sets, or classes of fuzzy are no sharply defined boundaries and membership or non- membership of a place in particular.The severity of desertification in the form of fuzzy maps based on each available indicator provided the values between 0 and 1 as the classes of desertificationon the map.It can be concluded that for better management of desertification it is necessary to prioritize areas affected by desertification according to its severity.As a result, we can say that accurate desertification classification can be helped to manage this phenomenon. In fact, it is a set of unpleasant consequences that human environment brings. Hence, monitoring and evaluation of the severity of desertification and mapping always isone of the most important management andplanning tools to achieve sustainable development in the field of natural resources.
Keywords
Bamou National Park
EVI
Monitoring of Desertification
MODIS
NDVI
Shiraz
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