IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v9y2020i10p388-d426787.html

A Trend Analysis of Leaf Area Index and Land Surface Temperature and Their Relationship from Global to Local Scale

Author

Listed:
  • Azad Rasul

    (Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Soran University, Soran 44008, Iraq
    Scientific Research Centre, Delzyan Campus, Soran University, Soran 44008, Iraq)

  • Sa’ad Ibrahim

    (Department of Geography, Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu 861231, Nigeria)

  • Ajoke R. Onojeghuo

    (Jolexy Environmental Services Ltd., Edmonton, AB T5T 7C9, Canada
    Centre for Landscape and Climate Research, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK)

  • Heiko Balzter

    (Centre for Landscape and Climate Research, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
    National Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK)

Abstract

Although the way in which vegetation phenology mediates the feedback of vegetation to climate systems is now well understood, the magnitude of these changes is still unknown. A thorough understanding of how the recent shift in phenology may impact on, for example, land surface temperature (LST) is important. To address this knowledge gap, it is important to quantify these impacts and identify patterns from the global to the regional scale. This study examines the trend and linear regression modeling of the leaf area index (LAI) and LST derived from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, specifically to assess their spatial distribution and changing trends at the continental and regional scales. The change detection analysis of interannual variability in the global LAI and LST between two periods (2003–2010 and 2011–2018) demonstrates more positive LAI trends than negative, while for LST most changes were not significant. The relationships between LAI and LST were assessed across the continents to ascertain the response of vegetation to changes in LST. The regression between LAI and LST was negative in Australia ( R 2 = 0.487 ***), positive but minimal in Africa ( R 2 = 0.001), positive in North America ( R 2 = 0.641 ***), negative in Central America ( R 2 = 0.119), positive in South America ( R 2 = 0.253 *) and positive in Europe ( R 2 = 0.740 ***). Medium temperatures enhance photosynthesis and lengthen the growing season in Europe. We also found a significant greening trend in China ( trendp = 0.16 ***) and India ( trendp = 0.13 ***). The relationships between LAI and LST in these most prominent greening countries of the world are R 2 = 0.06 and R 2 = 0.25 for China and India, respectively. Our deductions here are twofold—(1) In China, an insignificant association appeared between greening trend and temperature. (2) In India, the significant greening trend may be a factor in lowering temperatures. Therefore, temperature may stabilize if the greening trend continues. We attribute the trends in both countries to the different land use management and climate mitigation policies adopted by these countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Azad Rasul & Sa’ad Ibrahim & Ajoke R. Onojeghuo & Heiko Balzter, 2020. "A Trend Analysis of Leaf Area Index and Land Surface Temperature and Their Relationship from Global to Local Scale," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:10:p:388-:d:426787
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/10/388/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/10/388/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chi Chen & Taejin Park & Xuhui Wang & Shilong Piao & Baodong Xu & Rajiv K. Chaturvedi & Richard Fuchs & Victor Brovkin & Philippe Ciais & Rasmus Fensholt & Hans Tømmervik & Govindasamy Bala & Zaichun , 2019. "China and India lead in greening of the world through land-use management," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(2), pages 122-129, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Azad Rasul & Ramesh Ningthoujam, 2021. "Snow cover and vegetation greenness with leaf water content control the global land surface temperature," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(10), pages 14722-14748, October.
    2. Nitesh Awasthi & Jayant Nath Tripathi & George P. Petropoulos & Dileep Kumar Gupta & Abhay Kumar Singh & Amar Kumar Kathwas & Prashant K. Srivastava, 2023. "Appraisal of Climate Response to Vegetation Indices over Tropical Climate Region in India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Xianglong Fan & Xin Lv & Pan Gao & Lifu Zhang & Ze Zhang & Qiang Zhang & Yiru Ma & Xiang Yi & Caixia Yin & Lulu Ma, 2022. "Establishment of a Monitoring Model for the Cotton Leaf Area Index Based on the Canopy Reflectance Spectrum," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nikolai Dronin, 2023. "Reasons to rename the UNCCD: Review of transformation of the political concept through the influence of science," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 2058-2078, March.
    2. Pinki Mondal & Sonali Shukla McDermid, 2021. "Editorial for Special Issue: “Global Vegetation and Land Surface Dynamics in a Changing Climate”," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-4, January.
    3. Lijuan Du & Li Xu & Yanping Li & Changshun Liu & Zhenhua Li & Jefferson S. Wong & Bo Lei, 2019. "China’s Agricultural Irrigation and Water Conservancy Projects: A Policy Synthesis and Discussion of Emerging Issues," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Songbai Hong & Jinzhi Ding & Fei Kan & Hao Xu & Shaoyuan Chen & Yitong Yao & Shilong Piao, 2023. "Asymmetry of carbon sequestrations by plant and soil after forestation regulated by soil nitrogen," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Akmal, Freshteh Avatefi & Mohammadi, Yaser, 2025. "The nexus of agricultural land use change and food security: A comprehensive systematic review," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    6. Liu, Shilei & Xia, Jun, 2021. "Forest harvesting restriction and forest restoration in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    7. Liu, Yansui & Zhou, Yang, 2021. "Reflections on China's food security and land use policy under rapid urbanization," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    8. Li Yu & Fengxue Gu & Mei Huang & Bo Tao & Man Hao & Zhaosheng Wang, 2020. "Impacts of 1.5 °C and 2 °C Global Warming on Net Primary Productivity and Carbon Balance in China’s Terrestrial Ecosystems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, April.
    9. Qi’ao Zhang & Wei Chen, 2021. "Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency in the Three-North Region of China Based on Long-Term Satellite Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Sun, Xueqing & Xiang, Pengcheng & Cong, Kexin, 2023. "Research on early warning and control measures for arable land resource security," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    11. Yungang Hu & Guangchao Li & Wei Chen, 2022. "Remote Sensing of Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency in Different Ecozones of the North China Plain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Haochen Yu & Jiu Huang & Chuning Ji & Zi’ao Li, 2021. "Construction of a Landscape Ecological Network for a Large-Scale Energy and Chemical Industrial Base: A Case Study of Ningdong, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-24, March.
    13. Yuke Zhou & Junfu Fan & Xiaoying Wang, 2020. "Assessment of varying changes of vegetation and the response to climatic factors using GIMMS NDVI3g on the Tibetan Plateau," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-25, June.
    14. Yue He & Shilong Piao & Philippe Ciais & Hao Xu & Thomas Gasser, 2024. "Future land carbon removals in China consistent with national inventory," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    15. Wen Zhang & William K. Smith & Trevor F. Keenan & Matthew P. Dannenberg & Yang Li & Songhan Wang & John S. Kimball & David J. P. Moore, 2025. "Seasonal stabilization effects slowed the greening of the Northern Hemisphere over the last two decades," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    16. Dang, Hongzhong & Han, Hui & Chen, Shuai & Li, Mingyang, 2021. "A fragile soil moisture environment exacerbates the climate change-related impacts on the water use by Mongolian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) in northern China: Long-term observations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    17. Dashan Wang & Alan D. Ziegler & Joseph Holden & Dominick V. Spracklen & Philippe Ciais & Liqing Peng & Zhenzhong Zeng, 2025. "Vegetation cover change as a growing driver of global leaf area index dynamics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    18. Wu, Genan & Lu, Xinchen & Zhao, Wei & Cao, Ruochen & Xie, Wenqi & Wang, Liyun & Wang, Qiuhong & Song, Jiexuan & Gao, Shaobo & Li, Shenggong & Hu, Zhongmin, 2023. "The increasing contribution of greening to the terrestrial evapotranspiration in China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 477(C).
    19. Yi Huang & Feiwu Ren & Yanwei Wang, 2026. "Evaluation and pathways for achieving agricultural resilience under the framework of climate-smart agriculture," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(1), pages 1-21, December.
    20. Yitao Li & Zhao-Liang Li & Hua Wu & Chenghu Zhou & Xiangyang Liu & Pei Leng & Peng Yang & Wenbin Wu & Ronglin Tang & Guo-Fei Shang & Lingling Ma, 2023. "Biophysical impacts of earth greening can substantially mitigate regional land surface temperature warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:10:p:388-:d:426787. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.