NDVI-based spatial and temporal vegetation trends and their response to precipitation and temperature changes in the Mu Us Desert from 2000 to 2019

Abstract This paper explores the relationship between normalized vegetation index (NDVI) response to precipitation and temperature conditions by analyzing the spatial and temporal variation of vegetation cover (NDVI) in Mu Us Desert during 2000–2019. MODIS vegetation indices are designed to provide consistent spatial and temporal comparisons of vegetation conditions. Maximum Value Composites (MVC) is an internationally used statistical method for NDVI data. Based on MODIS remote sensing data, the NDVI of Mu Us Desert sandy land from 2000 to 2019 was analyzed by using the linear regression slope method. In 2000–2010 and 2010–2019, there was a difference in the change rate of vegetation index in Mu Us Desert, with the average slope of 0.0650/10a for the former and 0.0782/10a for the latter. The trends of NDVI values in the study area during 2000–2019 were roughly the same as those of precipitation, and slightly different from those of temperature, but the overall correlation between NDVI values and both was good. There is a significant positive correlation between NDVI and annual precipitation (0.687), and a weak correlation with temperature (0.264). The vegetation growth in Mu Us Desert is affected by both precipitation and temperature.