Seasonality of finely-resolved spatial structure of NDVI and its component reflectances in tallgrass prairie

TitleSeasonality of finely-resolved spatial structure of NDVI and its component reflectances in tallgrass prairie
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1998
AuthorsGoodin, DG, Henebry, GM
JournalInternational Journal of Remote Sensing
Volume19
Pagination3213 -3220
Accession NumberKNZ00641
Keywordstallgrass prairie
Abstract

Grass canopies exhibit distinct seasonality in reflectance and spatial patterns in reflectance result from landscape heterogeneity. To investigate the spatial structure of NDVI and its two component reflectances at fine resolution in burned and unburned tallgrass prairie, we use range and relative nugget effect two indicators of spatial structure derived from semivariograms. Results show that spatial dependence of the three spectral measures are similar in the early season when the litter layer has been removed by burning and again in the later season when the canopy is senescent. However, as the canopy develops, the spatial dependence of NDVI deviates from that of its component reflectances. In the unburned canopy, red reflectance appears to strongly influence the spatial pattern of NDVI. In the burned canopy, neither component reflectance strictly determines the spatial pattern of NDVI. Maximum divergence in spatial pattern between NDVI and its components coincides with minimum available moisture, suggesting a relation between moisture stress and spatio-spectral heterogeneity.

DOI10.1080/014311698214280