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Analysis of Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) Changes in Afforested Areas of Khuzestan Province (Case Study: Dasht-e Azadegan County))
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Zohreh Khorsandi Kouhanestani *   , Maasoumeh Movaghari Roodposhti |
| Department of Nature Engineering, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan |
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Abstract: (42 Views) |
| Extensive land cover changes, coupled with climate change in recent years, have led to increased land surface temperature (LST), subsequently elevating evaporation rates and reducing available water resources. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of afforestation projects on the trends of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) in Dasht-e Azadegan County, Khuzestan Province. Landsat 8 and 9 satellite imagery over a 25-year period (before and after afforestation) was utilized. Following land use mapping via supervised classification and the Random Forest algorithm, NDVI and LST (derived using the Split-Window Algorithm) were extracted. Trend analysis was performed using time-series graphs and statistical methods. Results indicated that afforested and irrigated agricultural areas significantly increased the regional mean NDVI. Despite a rising trend in air temperature during the study period, the LST trend in afforested areas was not statistically significant, confirming the moderating effect of such vegetation covers on land surface temperature. This effect is primarily driven by shading and evapotranspiration mechanisms. However, the cooling intensity varied depending on factors such as vegetation density, albedo, and proximity to moisture sources. Afforestation can serve as an effective management strategy for enhancing vegetation cover, moderating microclimate, and reducing thermal stress in hot and arid regions. |
Article number: 6 |
| Keywords: Climate Change, Arid and Semi-arid, Microclimate, Remote Sensing, Landsat |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
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