Determining the Relationship between NDVI/Leaf Area Index and Plant Production in Vegetation Cover Studies using Remote Sensing

Plant production is one of the most important living elements in ecosystems for example in the food cycle. In arid and desert areas, due to the fragility of these ecosystems, vegetation cover is of particular importance in reducing wind and water erosion. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to study vegetation cover and plant production in desert and semi-desert climates of Khuzestan as a coastal province. In this study, while separating climatic classes, vegetation type and determining the status of rangeland, the relationship between vegetation cover, plant production, and NDVI/ Leaf Area Index (MODIS image products with the resolution of 250*250 m2) in the separated layers of vegetation was calculated. The results showed that among the studied climates, the relationship between vegetation cover and satellite images decreases in semi-arid, arid, and ultra-arid climates, respectively, and in a climatic classification with vegetation type degradation, the relationship between vegetation and NDVI index weakens. The amount of leaf area index in this research was between 0.13 to 0.002, and Quercus brantii and Scirpus spp. showed the highest and lowest values, respectively. A comparison of the relationship between plant production and leaf area index shows that this relationship is stronger in the leaf area index than plant production as the main factor of plant production. Therefore, considering the importance of plant reflectivity, remote sensing studies and reduction of leaf area index, dry conditions and destruction of plant types can be the main reasons for reducing the relationship between vegetation and NDVI index.