ANPP estimates from NDVI for the Central Grassland Region of the United States

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Paruelo, JM; Epstein, HE; Lauenroth, WK; Burke, IC

Source:

ECOLOGY, ECOLOGICAL SOC AMER, Volume 78, Number 3, 2010 MASSACHUSETTS AVE, NW, STE 400, WASHINGTON, DC 20036, p.953-958 (1997)

Keywords:

absorbed photosynthetic active radiation, energy conversion efficiency coefficient, Grasslands, Net primary production, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, remote sensing

Abstract:

Several studies have suggested the existence of a positive relationship between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from AVHRR/NOAA satellite data and either biomass or annual aboveground net primary production (ANPP) for different geographic areas and ecosystems. We calibrated a 4-yr average of the ingegral of the NDVI (NDVI-I) using spatially aggregated values of ANPP. We also provided an estimate of the energy conversion efficiency coefficient (epsilon) of Monteith's equation. This is the first attempt to calibrate a standard NDVI product for temperate perennial grasslands. We found a positive and statistically significant relationship between NDVI-I and ANPP for grassland areas with mean annual precipitation between 280 and 1150 mm, and mean annual temperature between 4 degrees and 20 degrees C. Depending on the method used to estimate the fraction of photosynthetic active radiation, the energy conversion officency coefficient was constant (0.24 g C/MJ), or varied across the precipitation gradient, from 0.10 g C/MJ for the least productive to 0.20 g C/MJ for the most productive sites.