Publications

Yasmin, N; Khokhar, MF; Tanveer, S; Saqib, Z; Khan, WR (2016). DYNAMICAL ASSESSMENT OF VEGETATION TRENDS OVER MARGALLA HILLS NATIONAL PARK BY USING MODIS VEGETATION INDICES. PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, 53(4), 777-786.

Abstract
The study aimed to assess the vegetation dynamics in Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) by using 250 meter resolution data product of Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). It focused mainly on vegetation indices (VI) as a proxy for vegetation activity. Long term trends in vegetation activity of MHNP and the factors that have affected the vegetation activity were identified. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) were examined to count on both spatial and temporal trends. Seasonal Mann-Kendall (SMK) test was used to test the statistical significance of the data sets. The results showed significant variations in the vegetation activity in both NDVI and EVI. Results revealed about 3% and 31% of the total area is showing regressive and progressive trends for NDVI, respectively. Whereas EVI analysis exhibited 4% with regressive and an increase over 13.5% of the total area of MHNP. Besides hiking tracks, settlements, water course and fire activities; limestone exploration is the major cause of vegetation degradation, especially, in the western parts of MHNP. Degradation was found prominent near picnic spots and over the limestone extraction area. This study indicated that EVI is more sensitive to vegetation degradation as compared to NDVI.

DOI:
10.21162/PAKJAS/16.3759

ISSN:
0552-9034