Temporal and Spatial Variations in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index in Shanxi Section of the Yellow River Basin and Coal Mines and Their Response to Climatic Factors

Abstract

Investigating the spatiotemporal variations in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the Shanxi section of the Yellow River Basin and its coal mining areas holds significant importance for dynamic vegetation monitoring and mining area management. This study employs MODIS NDVI data and combines various analytical methods, including trend analysis and coefficient of variation analysis, to reveal the characteristics of NDVI spatiotemporal variations and their response to climatic factors in the study area. The results indicate the following: (1) The overall NDVI in the Shanxi section of the Yellow River Basin exhibits a growth trend with an annual growth rate of 1.82% and a 36% increase. Among the mining areas, the NDVI increase is most prominent in the Hebaopian mining area with a 100% growth, while the QinYuan mining area shows the lowest increase at 21%; (2) The NDVI in the Shanxi section of the Yellow River Basin displays high fluctuations, with areas of moderate and high fluctuations accounting for 54.39% of the total. The Hebaopian mining area has a substantial portion of high-fluctuation areas at 38.85%; (3) According to the Hurst index analysis, future vegetation changes in the Shanxi section of the Yellow River Basin are uncertain, with approximately 9.77% of areas expected to continue improving; (4) The variations in the NDVI and climatic factors across the Shanxi section of the Yellow River Basin display spatial heterogeneity. The NDVI exhibits a positive correlation with both temperature and precipitation, with the correlation with precipitation being more pronounced than that with temperature. Precipitation exerts a more significant influence on the NDVI than temperature. These findings not only provide scientific guidance for vegetation restoration and area management in the Shanxi section of the Yellow River Basin and its mining areas but also serve as a scientific basis for decision making regarding vegetation management under the influence of climate change and human activities.