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n Geoscience and
A PROPOSED NEW VEGETATION INDEX, THE TOTAL RATIO VEGETATION INDEX
(TRVI), FOR ARID AND SEMI-ARID REGIONS
Hadi Fadaei **, Rikie Suzuki °, Tetsuro Sakai® and Kiyoshi Torii®
2 postdoctoral Researcher at Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and
Technology (JAMSTEC)-fadaei@jamstec.go.jp
"Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)-
rikie@jamstec.go.jp
° Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University Kyoto, Japan
* Graduate Schools of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
KEY WORDS: Arid and semi-arid, ALOS, Total Ratio Vegetation Index (TRVI), Pistachio and Juniper
ABSTRACT:
Vegetation indices that provide important key to predict amount vegetation in forest such as percentage vegetation cover,
aboveground biomass, and leaf-area index. Arid and semi-arid areas are not exempt of this rule. Arid and semi-arid areas of
northeast Iran cover about 3.4 million ha and are populated by two main tree species, the broadleaf Pistacia vera (pistachio) and the
conifer Juniperus excelsa ssp. polycarpos (Persian juniper). Natural stands of pistachio in Iran are not only environmentally
important but also genetically essential as seed sources for pistachio production in orchards. We investigated the relationships
between tree density and vegetation indices in the arid and semi-arid regions in the northeast of Iran by analysing Advanced Land
Observing Satellite (ALOS) data PRISM is a panchromatic radiometer with a 2.5 m spatial resolution at nadir, and has one band
with a wavelength of 0.52—0.77 um (JAXA EORC). AVNIR-2 is a visible and near infrared radiometer for observing land and
coastal zones with a 10 m spatial resolution at nadir, and has four multispectral bands: blue (0.42—0.50 pm), green (0.52—-0.60 um),
red (0.61—0.69 jum), and near infrared (0.76—0.89 um) (JAXA EORC). In this study, we estimated various vegetation indices using
maximum filtering algorithm (5x5) and examined. This study carried out of juniper forests and natural pistachio stand using
Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) and field inventories. Have been compared linear regression model of vegetation indices
and proposed new vegetation index for arid and semi-arid regions. Also, we estimated the densities of juniper forests and natural
pistachio stands using remote sensing to help in the sustainable management and production of pistachio in Iran. We present a new
vegetation index for arid and semi-arid regions with sparse forest cover, the Total Ratio Vegetation Index (TRVI), and we investigate
the relationship of the new index to tree density by analysing data from the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) using 5x5
maximum filtering algorithms. The results for pistachio forest showed the coefficient regression of NDVI, SAVI, MSAVI, OSAVI,
and TRVI were (R2= 0.68, 0.67, 0.68, 0.68, and 0.71) respectively. The results for juniper forest showed the coefficient regression
of NDVI, SAVI, MSAVI, OSAVI, and TRVI were (R2= 0.51, 0.52, 0.51, 0.52, and 0.56) respectively. I hope this research can
provide decision of managers to helping sustainable management for arid and semi-arid regions in Iran.
1. INTRODUCTION
Arid and semi-arid areas of northeast Iran cover about 3.4
million ha and contain two main tree species, the broadleaf
Pistacia vera. L (pistachio) and the conifer Juniperus excelsa
ssp. polycarpos (Persian juniper), which are found at different
elevations above sea level (a.s.l.) (Figure 1). Persian juniper
forms open woodlands, with a maximum tree density of
approximately 150 trees per hectare (pers. obs.; Andrew et al.
1996). This species is found from Turkey to Afghanistan and
east and south to Iran (Fisher and Andrew 1995) and at
elevations ranging from 1500 to 2900 m a.s.l., and is also found
In Pakistan, where it is fairly common, forming open forests in
Baluchistan and inner dry valleys of the Himalayas from 1200
to 4000 m (Andrew et al. 1996). However, the climate at these
altitudes may be marginal for the survival of Persian juniper,
and even small increases in climatic stress could imperil the
present status of these woodlands (Fisher and Andrew 1995).
Pistachio is thought to have been cultivated for 3000-4000
years in Iran. Currently, Iran is the world’s largest producer of
Pistachio, followed by the United States, where most pistachio
Production is in California. In 2004, Iran and the United States
Were responsible for 44% and 13% of global pistachio
ey T1”
Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-45-778-5605; fax: +81-45-778-5706. E-mail address: fadaei@jamstec.go.jp
production, respectively (Razavi 2006). Pistachios are one of
the most important non-oil exports from Iran (Fadaei et al.
2007). Most pistachio production in Iran occurs in orchards, but
there are a few areas, such as in northeast Iran, where wild
pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) grows in natural stands, mostly at
elevations of 500-1200 m (a.s.l.). Natural stands of pistachio
are important, not only environmentally but also genetically as
seed storage for pistachio production in orchards. In addition,
natural pistachio stands, which are managed by the Natural
Resource Organization of Iran, provide rural residents with
opportunities to obtain extra income by participating in
harvesting.
ocations of the study areas in northeast Iran
