Document: PAU-3-89-5

Relations between normalized difference vegetation index and productivity in the central Great Plains.

WANG, J.*, P.M.RICH and K.P.PRICE

University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 USA ¹

Abstract:
Satellite remote sensing of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has proven to be a good measure of photosynthesis, and has come into widespread use to estimate productivity at a landscape scale. Our research demonstrates that NDVI integrated over time is an excellent measure of prevailing patterns of net primary productivity, as measured for native grasslands, forests, and croplands. Within the growing season, grassland production measurements (based on clip plots) covary with NDVI, with a four-week lag time. Across years, grassland production covaries with NDVI integrated over appropriate time intervals, which can range from part to all of the current growing season. Most forest production measurements (based on tree ring width, diameter changes, and seed production) are strongly correlated with accumulated NDVI during the current growing season. Tree height growth corresponds with NDVI of the previous year. Foliage production generally corresponds with changes in NDVI, but not as distinctly as do other forest production measurements. All forest production measurements, except foliage, are better related to average NDVI at an intermediate spatial scale (7 by 7 pixels, ~50 km²), rather than just local NDVI (1 pixel, 1.2 km²). Similarly, regional scale yield of corn and wheat were highly correlated with NDVI.

Keywords: crop yield, forest production, grassland production, landscape ecology, NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index), remote sensing

This abstract is being presented at: 10:30 AM in session:
REMOTE SENSING