Geography

Mapping seasonal trends in vegetation using AVHRR-NDVI time series in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This research examines the spatio-temporal trends in Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Inventory Modelling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series to ascribe land use change and precipitation to observed changes in land cover from 1982 to 2007 in the Mexican Yucatán Peninsula, using seasonal trend analysis (STA). In addition to discrete land cover transitions across the study region, patterns of agricultural intensification, urban expansion and afforestation in protected areas have enacted changes to the seasonal patterns of apparent greenness observed through STA greenness parameters. The results indicate that the seasonal variation in NDVI can be used to distinguish among different land cover transitions, and the primary differences among these transitions were in changes in overall greenness, peak annual greenness and the timing of the growing season. Associations between greenness trends and precipitation were weak, indicating a human-dominated system for the 26 years examined. Changes in the states of Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatán appear to be associated with pasture cultivation, urban expansion-extensive cultivation and urban expansion-intensive cultivation, respectively. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.

Publication Title

Remote Sensing Letters

Publication Date

2012

Volume

3

Issue

5

First Page

433

Last Page

442

ISSN

2150-704X

DOI

10.1080/01431161.2011.616238

Keywords

afforestation, agricultural intensification, AVHRR, cultivation, growing season, human activity, inventory, land cover, land use change, NDVI, pasture, precipitation (climatology), protected area, seasonality, spatiotemporal analysis, time series, trend analysis, urban area, urbanization, vegetation mapping

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS