Publications

Assiri, ME; Ali, MA; Alamri, L; Siddiqui, MH; Ghulam, AS; Shahid, S (2025). Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Vegetation and Land Surface Temperature in Saudi Arabia: Impacts of Climate Change on Agricultural Sites From 2010 to 2023. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY.

Abstract
Saudi Arabia has one of the greatest water shortages and the least vegetation in the world, which is potentially exacerbating the issue of environmental impacts. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the interaction between climate change, vegetation dynamics and land surface temperature (LST). The present study investigates the spatio-temporal distributions, variations, change detection and trends of vegetation dynamics and surface temperature over eight agricultural sites in Saudi Arabia using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and LST from Landsat 7 (Enhance Thematic Mapper Plus: ETM+) and Landsat 8 (operational land imager: OLI) measurements for the period 2010-2023. The study also examined the relationship between NDVI, LST and climate variables such as air temperature, rainfall, relative humidity and soil moisture. Results showed that an NDVI > 0.20 represents vegetation in Saudi Arabia. Higher values of NDVI were found in Baysh, Jazan province, compared to other agricultural sites. Significant annual and seasonal variations in NDVI were also observed across eight major agricultural sites in Saudi Arabia, attributable to the region's varying climate conditions. Vegetation expansion in 2023 exceeded that in 2014 in Buraydah (304.34 km(2)), Tabarjal (63.81 km(2)), Hail (33.20 km(2)), Al Qirw (22.53 km(2)) and Baysh (3.07 km(2)), while reductions were noted in Wadi Al Dawasir (274.58 km(2)), Tabuk (88.56 km(2)) and Al Ahsa (27.30 km(2)). The LST over soil and vegetated surfaces showed that vegetation notably reduced LST at Hail (3.14 degrees C), Al Ahsa and Wadi Al Dawasir (5.43 degrees C), Buraydah (4.53 degrees C), Baysh (2.71 degrees C), Al Qirw (5.17 degrees C), Tabuk (6.24 degrees C) and Tabarjal (3.13 degrees C). The study found that NDVI, LST and climate variables are positively and negatively correlated, which indicates a significant impact of climate change on vegetation patterns. The findings of this study are highly relevant for informing agricultural and environmental policy development in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on enhancing vegetation cover, mitigating the impacts of rising temperatures and advancing sustainable agricultural practices to address the challenges posed by climate change.

DOI:
10.1002/joc.8781

ISSN:
1097-0088