The Spatiotemporal Variation of Leaf Area Index in Guizhou and Its Response to Climate Based on MODIS Data

Using monthly MODIS remote sensing data of leaf area index during 2000-2006 and the observed monthly air temperature and precipitation data, the spatiotemporal variation of vegetation in Guizhou was analyzed. The results show that the spatial pattern of vegetation over Guizhou in the past seven years is controlled by air temperature and precipitation, and presents different response to the climate factors. The response of vegetation distribution to precipitation is more obvious than that to temperature, especially in winter and spring. In summer and autumn, the vegetation growth is mainly dominated by temperature and its relationship with precipitation is not obvious. In view of temporal variations at seasonal and interannual scales, the response of vegetation to temperature is more marked in contrast with that to precipitation, and the correlations coefficients between vegetation and temperature are 0.89 and 0.73, respectively (passing Student t-test at 99.9% and 95% confidence levels).