Evaluation of the relationship between hydrological drought and vegetation using Landsat images in the eastern part of the Sistan region

Sarani, Mansoor; Hashemi, Zohreh

doi:10.22111/jneh.2023.44340.1938

Evaluation of the relationship between hydrological drought and vegetation using Landsat images in the eastern part of the Sistan region

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Mansoor Sarani ¹
Zohreh Hashemi ²

¹ Assistant Professor of research, Departement of plant protection, Agricultural and natural resources research and education center of Sistan, Zabol, Iran

² Expert in research, Department of natural resources, Agricultural and natural resources research and education center of Sistan, Zabol, Iran

10.22111/jneh.2023.44340.1938

Abstract

The aim of this study is evaluation of the relationship between vegetation changes associated with hydrological drought in the eastern part of the Sistan region. This region with an area of 875,052 hectares is located in the north of Sistan and Baluchistan province, with an average height of 478 meters above sea level. To, Landsat 8 satellite images (OLI) associated with ground monitoring and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and streamflow drought index (SDI) were used in 2019 and 2021. Also, the floristic list of the study area was randomly scrutinized in the vegetative seasons of the plant in 2019 and 2021. The life form of plants was also determined by Raunkiaer (1934). The results indicated that the average SDI in 2019 and 2021 was estimated at 1.33 and -0.38, respectively. Also, the water normal class and the weak drought class were identified in 2019 and 2021, respectively. Changes in the NDVI and SDI were observed in correlation relationships in 2019 and 2021. Vegetation changes have occurred as a result of the hydrological drought in 2021, indicating hydrological drought-affected vegetation. The study of the flora of the region in 2019 showed that plants including 191 plant species from 141 genera and 42 families are distributed in the region. Also, on the occurrence of hydrological drought conditions in 2021, the number of species decreased to 162 species, 123 genera, and 34 families. The life form of plants using the Raunkiaer method showed that 40% of therophytes, 18.4% of cryptophytes, 17.9% of hemicryptophytes, 15.3% of phanerophytes and 8.4% charophytes are included in 2019. In 2021, therophytes decreased to 34.7%, cryptophytes to 9.5%, hemicryptophytes to 17.4%, and charophytes to 7.9%, whereas, phanerophytes were unchanged at 15.3% compared to 2019. It shows the resistance of phanerophyte plants to drought and lack of water in the studied area.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Ecology

References

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