Crop phenology estimation by time series MODIS medium-resolution data

Vegetation indices (VIs) such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) are widely used for assessing vegetation cover and condition. One of the NDVI's significant disadvantages is its sensitivity to aerosols in the atmosphere, hence several atmospherically resistant VIs were formulated using the difference in the radiance between the blue and the red spectral bands. The state‐of‐the‐art atmospherically resistant VI, which is a standard Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) product, together with the NDVI, is the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). A different approach introduced the Aerosol‐free Vegetation Index (AFRI) that is based on the correlation between the shortwave infrared (SWIR) and the visible red bands. The AFRI main advantage is in penetrating an opaque atmosphere influenced by biomass burning smoke, without the need for explicit correction for the aerosol effect. The objective of this research was to compare the performance of these three VIs under smoke conditions. The AFRI was applied to the 2.1 µm SWIR channel of the MODIS sensor onboard the Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua satellites in order to assess its functionality on these imaging platforms. The AFRI performance was compared with those of NDVI and EVI. All VIs were calculated on images with and without present smoke, using the surface‐reflectance MODIS product, for three case studies of fires in Arizona, California, and Zambia. The MODIS Fire Product was embedded on the images in order to identify the exact location of the active fires. Although good correlations were observed between all VIs in the absence of smoke (in the Arizona case R 2 = 0.86, 0.77, 0.88 for the NDVI–EVI, AFRI–EVI, and AFRI–NDVI, respectively) under smoke conditions a high correlation was maintained between the NDVI and the EVI, while low correlations were found for the AFRI–EVI and AFRI–NDVI (0.21 and 0.16, for the Arizona case, respectively). A time series of MODIS images recorded over Zambia during the summer of 2000 was tested and showed high NDVI fluctuations during the study period due to oscillations in aerosol optical thickness values despite application of aerosol corrections on the images. In contrast, the AFRI showed smoother variations and managed to better assess the vegetation condition. It is concluded that, beneath the biomass burning smoke, the AFRI is more effective than the EVI in observing the vegetation conditions.

Estimation of crop gross primary production (GPP): I. impact of MODIS observation footprint and impact of vegetation BRDF characteristics

The suitability of using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images for surface soil moisture estimation to investigate the importance of soil moisture in different applications, such as agriculture, hydrology, meteorology and natural disaster management, is evaluated in this study. Soil moisture field measurements and MODIS images of relevant dates have been acquired. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) are calculated from MODIS images. In addition, MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST) data (MOD11A1) are used in this analysis. Four different soil moisture estimation models, which are based on NDVI–LST, EVI–LST, NDVI–LST–NDWI and EVI–LST–NDWI, are developed and their accuracies are assessed. Statistical analysis shows that replacing EVI with NDVI in the model that is based on LST and NDVI increases the accuracy of soil moisture estimation. Accuracy evaluation of soil moisture estimation using check points shows that the model based on LST, EVI and NDWI values gives a higher accuracy than that based on LST and EVI values. It is concluded that the model based on the three indices is a suitable model to estimate soil moisture through MODIS imagery.

Remotely sensed vegetation indices such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) or enhanced vegetation index (EVI) have been used to scale up flux-based gross primary production (GPP) measurements. Recently, the use of visible-band (VIS) indices for estimation of GPP has been proposed, and VIS_indices derived from digital cameras have been used for detecting phenological changes. To confirm the utility of remotely sensed VIS_indices for the evaluation of GPP in a Japanese larch forest, we investigated the relationships between flux-based GPP measurements and indices derived from both moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data and tower-mounted digital camera images. We evaluated the suitability of both traditional (NDVI and EVI) and VIS_indices (the greenred vegetation index (GRVI) and green ratio (GR)) at both satellite and near-surface scales for GPP estimation. We also used the MODIS data to evaluate the sensitivity of the indices to the effects of a severe forest disturbance. The results showed that VIS_indices had several advantages over the traditional indices: (1) seasonal variations in VIS_indices were more strongly correlated with GPP variations; (2) the vegetation growing season could be easily discriminated from the winter dormant period, because ground surface conditions affect VIS_indices less than they affect traditional indices; (3) the seasonal dynamics of vegetation could be determined at a satellite scale from MODIS data, and possibly even at a canopy scale from digital camera images; and (4) inter-annual variations of VIS_indices were likely to be more sensitive to vegetation changes after a disturbance. These results demonstrate the utility of VIS_indices for estimating GPP at satellite scales and possibly at the canopy scale. We suggest that multi-scale visible-band remote sensing could help our understanding of the ecosystem by improving the temporal and spatial resolutions of satellite data.

Litter production is related to canopy processes including the timing and amount of leaf development, reproduction and net primary production. However, quantifying spatial and temporal patterns in litter production is complicated in Amazonian semi-deciduous forests because of high spatial heterogeneity and seasonal variation in rainfall. Here, we use monthly measurements of litter production and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) composites over a 6-year period to assess whether MODIS can be used to quantify litter production of tropical semi-deciduous forests. Original MODIS NDVI and EVI values were poorly related to the seasonal periodicity in litter production, but after using singular spectrum analysis (SSA) signal extraction techniques, clear relationships between litter production and the NDVI and EVI emerged. These results indicate that MODIS NDVI and EVI data are useful for detecting temporal patterns in litter production for Amazonian semi-deciduous forests if signal extraction analyses such as SSA are conducted.

On intra-annual EVI variability in the dry season of tropical forest: A case study with MODIS and hyperspectral data

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 16-day 1-km vegetation index products, daily temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and precipitation from 2001 to 2004 were utilized to analyze the temporal variations of the MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI), as well as their correlations with climate over the evergreen forested sites in Zhejiang-a humid subtropical region in the southeast of China. The results showed that both NDVI and EVI could discern the seasonal variation of the evergreen forests. Attributed to the sufficient precipitation in the study area, the growth of vegetation is mainly controlled by energy; as a result, NDVI, and especially EVI, is more correlated with temperature and PAR than precipitation. Compared with NDVI, EVI is more sensitive to climate condition and is a better indicator to study vegetation variations in the study region

Estimating root zone soil moisture at distant sites using MODIS NDVI and EVI in a semi-arid region of southwestern USA

The aim of our study was to verify the accuracy and the usability of Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) 13Q1 product for corn yield estimation on a local level for 2014 year. Product 13Q1 consists of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) 16-day composites with 250 m spatial resolution. The estimation is based on ground truth data (sowing structures for 8 years) which was provided by local agricultural organization in Vojvodina, Serbia. The indices were used in linear regression, where the average yield for corn was the dependent variable, NDVI and EVI were independent variables. Average corn yield was estimated approximately 15 days before the beginning of the harvest and compared with official results. Depending on the used linear method, relative errors ranged from 0.6 % to 7.4 %. Overall, coefficients of determination (R2) ranged from 0.66 to 0.75 and were significant at 0.05. The smallest difference between official results for corn yield and our estimate when using NDVI was 0.59 t/ha, when using EVI the smallest difference was 0.07 t/ha. Paper showed that NDVI and EVI from MODIS follow linear relationship with average corn yield and can be used in estimation of crop yields in Serbia and also that EVI produces better prediction results than NDVI. The crop yield estimation can be used for similar cultivated plants in Serbia and for longer period dataset.

The quality of Earth observation (EO) based vegetation monitoring has improved during recent years, which can be attributed to the enhanced sensor design of new satellites such as MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on Terra and Aqua. It is however expected that sun-sensor geometry variations will have a more visible impact on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from MODIS compared to earlier data sources, since noise related to atmosphere and sensor calibration is substantially reduced in the MODIS data stream. For this reason, the effect of varying MODIS viewing geometry on red, near-infrared (NIR) and NDVI needs to be quantified. Data from the geostationary MSG (Meteosat Second Generation) SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager) sensor is well suited for this purpose due to the fixed position of the sensor, the spectral resolution, including a red and NIR band, and the high temporal resolution (15 min) of data, enabling MSG data to be used as a reference for estimating MODIS surface reflectance and NDVI variations caused by varying sun-sensor geometry. The study was performed on data covering West Africa for periods of lowest possible cloud cover for three consecutive years (2004–2006). An analysis covering the entire range of NDVI revealed day-to-day variations in observed MODIS NDVI of 50–60% for medium dense vegetation (NDVI ≈ 0.5) caused by variations in MODIS view zenith angles (VZAs) between nadir and the high forward-scatter view direction. Statistical analysis on red, NIR and NDVI from MODIS and MSG SEVIRI for three transects (characterized by different vegetation densities) showed that both MODIS red and NIR reflectances are highly dependant on MODIS VZA and relative azimuth angle (RAA), due to the anisotropic behaviour of red and NIR reflectances. The anisotropic reflectance in the red and NIR band was to some degree minimized by the ratioing properties of NDVI. The minimization by the NDVI normalization is very dependent on the vegetation density however, since the degree of anisotropy in red and NIR reflectances depends on the amount of vegetation present. MODIS VZA and RAA effects on NDVI were highest for medium dense vegetation (NDVI ≈ 0.5–0.6). The VZA and RAA effects were less for sparsely vegetated areas (NDVI ≈ 0.3–0.35) and the smallest effect on NDVI was found for dense vegetation (NDVI ≈ 0.7). These results have implications for the end users' interpretation of NDVI, and challenge the expediency of the MODIS NDVI compositing technique, which should be refined to distinguish between forward- and backward-scatter viewing direction by taking RAA into account.

Smoothed and gap-filled VI provides a good base for estimating vegetation phenology metrics. The TIMESAT software was improved by incorporating the ancillary information from MODIS products. A simple assessment of the association between retrieved greenup dates and ground observations indicates satisfactory result from improved TIMESAT software. One application example shows that mapping Nectar Flow Phenology is tractable on a continental scale using hive weight and satellite vegetation data. The phenology data product is supporting more researches in ecology, climate change fields.

The enhanced vegetation index (EVI) has been found useful in improving linearity with biophysical vegetation properties and in reducing saturation effects found in densely vegetated surfaces, commonly encountered in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). However, EVI requires a blue band and is sensitive to variations in blue band reflectance, which limits consistency of EVI across different sensors. The objectives of this study are to develop a 2-band EVI (EVI2) without a blue band that has the best similarity with the 3-band EVI, and to investigate the crosssensor continuity of the EVI2 from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). A linearity-adjustment factor (β) was introduced and coupled with the soil adjustment factor (L) used in the soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) in the development of the EVI2 equation. The similarity between EVI and EVI2 was validated at the global scale. After a linear adjustment, the AVHRR EVI2 was found to be comparable with the MODIS EVI2. The good agreement between the AVHRR and MODIS EVI2 suggests the possibility of extending the current MODIS EVI time series to the historical AVHRR data, providing another longterm vegetation record different from the NDVI counterpart.

It is very important to develop a rapid algorithm for rodent pest damage estimation,especially for an outbreak year. The Yangtze vole( Microtus fortis) has been identified as a primary rodent pest in the Dongting Lake region. In July2007,there was a sudden population explosion in that region,representing the most serious Yangtze vole disaster on record.More than two billion voles crossed the lake levee,causing massive crop damage. The study area of Beizhouzi,to the west of East Dongting Lake,was selected because it had the highest population density during the outbreak year. A difference method of vegetation index was used in the assessment,in which the outbreak year 2007 was contrasted with 2004,which was considered a normal year. All vegetation-index imagery was from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer( MODIS),which was masked by a land-use map of the study area to remove water bodies and urban and built-up lands.The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index( NDVI) in the outbreak year declined during the vegetation growth period,in contrast with the normal year. This NDVI change was a result of plant destruction by the Yangtze vole population. Regarding the local crop system,Julian days 193 and 209 were chosen for observations representative of before and after the Yangtzevole problem. Performances of the NDVI and enhanced vegetation index( EVI) were analyzed. ΔVI was defined as the ratio of a seasonally detrended vegetation index( VI) reduction before and after the Yangtze vole problem to seasonally detrended VI before the problem. Given the mean ΔVI,shift amplitude( the difference of ΔVI between 2004 and 2007),statistical dispersion( inter quartile range( IQR) of ΔVI in 2007),and percentage of detected damaged pixels,the damage threshold was defined as the sum of the mean ΔVI and mean absolute deviation. These were calculated to evaluate sensitivity of the vegetation index. The EVI was selected as the optimal vegetation index for detecting damaged area after sensitivity analysis.An ΔEVI of 0.07 was considered the damage threshold in the study area. The damage indicator was then rescaled to a range of 0 to 1,for constructing damage severity. The upper and lower limits for rescaling were determined by statistical analysis of the damage indicator,whose values were the 95% point of the ΔEVI histogram for the study area and the damage threshold.Only damage pixels greater than 0 after rescaling,and the 25% and 75% quantiles,were treated as thresholds for three damage levels( serious,moderate and light). As a result,the study area was separated into four groups,in which 80.30%of pixels were damaged. The damage pixels were aggregated according to the action of the Yangtze vole population during the outbreak year,and were dominated by moderate-damage pixels. There was a certain distance between the damage area and levee,which could been explained by the population migration. Pixels with serious damage were dispersed over the entire study area. We constructed a disaster region map for the Dongting Lake region in 2007,from investigation and the spatial distribution of damage pixels with the threshold 0.07. This map was used to validate the method of assessing outbreak-year rodent pest damage based on MODIS imagery. The new approach to evaluating rodent pest damage proved to be rapid and promising.

Vegetation indices have been widely used as indicators of seasonal and inter‐annual variations in vegetation caused by either human activities or climate, with the overall goal of observing and documenting changes in the Earth system. While existing satellite remote sensing systems, such as NASA's Multi‐angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), are providing improved vegetation index data products through correcting for the distortions in surface reflectance caused by atmospheric particles as well as ground covers below vegetation canopy, the impact of land‐cover mixing on vegetation indices has not been fully addressed. In this study, based on real image spectral samples for two‐component mixtures of forest and common nonforest land‐cover types directly extracted from a 1.1 km MISR image by referencing a 30 m land‐cover classification, the effect of land‐cover mixing on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) has been quantitatively evaluated. When the areal fraction of forest was lower than 80%, both NDVI and EVI varied greatly with mixed land‐cover types, although EVI varied less than NDVI. Such a phenomenon can cause errors in applications based on use of these vegetation indices. This study suggests that methods that reduce land‐cover mixing effects should be introduced when developing new spectral vegetation indices.

Satellite-based remote sensed phenology has been widely used to assess global climate change. However, it is constrained by uncertain linkages with photosynthesis activity. Two dynamic threshold methods were employed to retrieve spring phenology metrics from four Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products, including fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fAPAR), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) for three temperate deciduous broadleaf forests in North America between 2001 and 2009. These MODIS-based spring phenology metrics were subsequently linked to the photosynthetic curves (daily gross primary productivity, GPP) measured by an eddy covariance flux tower. The 20% dynamic threshold spring onset metrics from MODIS products were closer to the photosynthesis onset metrics at the date of 2% GPP increase for NDVI and fAPAR, and closer to the date of 5% and 10% increase of GPP for EVI and LAI, respectively. The 50% dynamic threshold onset metrics were closer to the photosynthesis onset metrics at the date of 10% GPP increase for NDVI, and closer to the date of 20% GPP increase for fAPAR, LAI and EVI, respectively. These results can improve our knowledge on the photosynthesis activity status of remotely sensed spring phenology metrics.