Gunin P.D., Dedkov V.P., Danzhalova E.V., Bazha S.N., Zolotokrylin A.N., Kazantseva T.I. APPLICATION OF NDVI FOR MONITORING OF THE STATE OF GOBI STEPPE AND DESERT ECOSYSTEMS // Arid ecosystems. 2019. V. 25. № 3 (80). P. 45-52. | PDF

We studied the modern condition of the dry-steppe, desert-steppe, mountain-steppe and desert ecosystems of Gobi, Mongolia. In the dry steppes and stepped deserts we detected the decrease of phytocenotic indices of plant communities, degradation of dominant species condition and changes in their composition. Thus, we registered the replacement of the grasses, typical for the dry steppes, such as Stipa krylovii and Agropyron cristatum, by the desert-steppe species like Allium polyrrhizum. In the stepped deserts we registered the significant decrease of herbs role (Stipa glareosa, Cleistogenes songorica) in community structure, and the increase of desert semi-shrubs percentage (Anabasis brevifolia, Salsola passerina). Vegetation of true and sorely arid deserts turned out to be the most resistant to aridization and pasture pressure increase. In those territories we found changes only in Sympegma community, and registered a significant decrease of Sympegma regelii numbers.

We found out that NDVI values, remotely obtained from Landsat 8 shots, did not match the phytocenotic indices, obtained from the field researches. The data of field spectrometry of the dominant species, soil surface and plant communities showed that soil background plays a major role in formation of specter samples of plant communities, especially at the low projective cover.

Keywords: dry steppes, deserted steppes, mountainous steppes, stepped deserts, true deserts, sorely arid deserts, Gobi, NDVI, field spectrometry.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2019-10064