Response of spectral vegetation indices to soil moisture in grasslands and shrublands

International Journal of Remote Sensing
By: , and 

Links

Abstract

The relationships between satellite-derived vegetation indices (VIs) and soil moisture are complicated because of the time lag of the vegetation response to soil moisture. In this study, we used a distributed lag regression model to evaluate the lag responses of VIs to soil moisture for grasslands and shrublands at Soil Climate Analysis Network sites in the central and western United States. We examined the relationships between Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived VIs and soil moisture measurements. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) showed significant lag responses to soil moisture. The lag length varies from 8 to 56 days for NDVI and from 16 to 56 days for NDWI. However, the lag response of NDVI and NDWI to soil moisture varied among the sites. Our study suggests that the lag effect needs to be taken into consideration when the VIs are used to estimate soil moisture.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Response of spectral vegetation indices to soil moisture in grasslands and shrublands
Series title International Journal of Remote Sensing
DOI 10.1080/01431161.2010.496471
Volume 32
Issue 18
Year Published 2011
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Contributing office(s) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
Description 20 p.
First page 5267
Last page 5286
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details