Analysis of NDVI Trends and Driving Factors in the Buffer Zone of the Aral Sea

Abstract

A buffer zone can be used to analyze the influence of the lake on the surrounding spatial elements, which is of great significance for discussing the problems of lake retreat, vegetation degradation, and overall environmental deterioration in the Aral Sea. Taking the 3 km buffer zone of the Aral Sea as the research area, the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and main influencing factors of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the Aral Sea research area were studied using remote sensing over 31 years (1987, 1997, 1992, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018). The results showed that the vegetation growth in the Aral Sea buffer zone deteriorates with the retreat of the lake; the vegetation of the small Aral Sea began to recover due to the stable water volume and salt content of the lake; vegetation began to grow in the west coast of the West Aral Sea; the shrinkage of the Aral Sea caused by human activities is an important factor affecting the growth of the vegetation. This study provides a reference for the restoration and reconstruction of regional vegetation.