Applying the Moisture Availability Index (NTDI) over Vegetated Land in Central Asia: Mongolian Steppe
Affiliation(s)
1 Discipline of Geography, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. 2 Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan.
1 Discipline of Geography, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. 2 Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan.
ABSTRACT
The intensity of recent droughts and the uncertainty of moisture variability in the context of increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation have affected the Mongolian grassland. Mongolia typifies the steppe terrain and semiarid to arid continental climate that extends across much of Central Asia. In semi-arid areas like Mongolian steppe, vegetation type and distribution are directly relate to the amount of water that plants can extract from the soil. An index for assessment of moisture availability (ma: defined as the ratio of actual to reference evapotranspiration) was developed, namely NTDI [1]. NTDI (Normalized Day-Night Surface Temperature Difference Index) is defined as the ratio of the difference between the maximum daytime surface temperature and the minimum nighttime surface temperature, to the difference between the maximum and minimum surface temperatures estimated from meteorological data by applying energy balance equations. A verification study conducted at Liudaogou River Basin of the Loess Plateau, China, indicated the capability of NTDI to estimate ma accurately, (R2=0.97,p<0.001) [1]. In Bayan Unjuul, Mongolia, application of NTDI during the growing season showed a significant inverse exponential correlation with ma (R2=0.86,p<0.001). This result indicates that the NTDI is potent to be used as a surrogate of moisture availability in steppe terrain of Central Asia.
The intensity of recent droughts and the uncertainty of moisture variability in the context of increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation have affected the Mongolian grassland. Mongolia typifies the steppe terrain and semiarid to arid continental climate that extends across much of Central Asia. In semi-arid areas like Mongolian steppe, vegetation type and distribution are directly relate to the amount of water that plants can extract from the soil. An index for assessment of moisture availability (ma: defined as the ratio of actual to reference evapotranspiration) was developed, namely NTDI [1]. NTDI (Normalized Day-Night Surface Temperature Difference Index) is defined as the ratio of the difference between the maximum daytime surface temperature and the minimum nighttime surface temperature, to the difference between the maximum and minimum surface temperatures estimated from meteorological data by applying energy balance equations. A verification study conducted at Liudaogou River Basin of the Loess Plateau, China, indicated the capability of NTDI to estimate ma accurately, (R2=0.97,p<0.001) [1]. In Bayan Unjuul, Mongolia, application of NTDI during the growing season showed a significant inverse exponential correlation with ma (R2=0.86,p<0.001). This result indicates that the NTDI is potent to be used as a surrogate of moisture availability in steppe terrain of Central Asia.
Cite this paper
Mohamed, A. and Kimura, R. (2014) Applying the Moisture Availability Index (NTDI) over Vegetated Land in Central Asia: Mongolian Steppe. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 6, 1335-1343. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2014.614123.
Mohamed, A. and Kimura, R. (2014) Applying the Moisture Availability Index (NTDI) over Vegetated Land in Central Asia: Mongolian Steppe. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 6, 1335-1343. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2014.614123.
References
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005179 [8] Munkhtsetseg , E., Kimura, R., Wang, J. and Shinoda, M. (2007) Pasture Yield Response to Precipitation and High Temperature in Mongolia. Journal of Arid Environments, 70, 94-110.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.11.013 [9] Zhang, Y., Munkhtsetseg, E., Kadota, T. and Ohata, T. (2005) An Observational Study of Ecohydrology of a Sparse Grassland at the Edge of the Eurasian Cryosphere in Mongolia. Journal of Geophysical Research, 110, Article ID: D14103. [10] Davi, N.K., Jacoby, G.C., D’Arrigo, R.D., Baatarbileg, N., Li, J.B. and Curtis, A.E. (2009) A Tree-Ring-Based Drought Index Reconstruction for Far-Western Mongolia. International Journal of Climatology, 29, 1508-1514.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1964.00021962005600030007x [14] Wiegand, C.L. and Namken, L.N. (1966) Influences of Plant Moisture Stress, Solar Radiation and Air Temperature on Cotton Leaf Temperature. Agronomy Journal, 58, 582-586.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1966.00021962005800060009x [15] McVicar, T.R. and Jupp, D.L.B. (1998) The Current and Potential Operational Uses of Remote Sensing to Aid Decisions on Drought Exceptional Circumstances in Australia: A Review. Agricultural Systems, 57, 399-468.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0308-521X(98)00026-2 [16] Idso, S.B., Jackson, R.D. and Reginato, R.J. (1977) Remote-Sensing of Crop Yields. Science, 196, 19-25.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.196.4285.19 [17] Jackson, R., Reginato, R. and Idso, S. (1977) Wheat Canopy Temperature: A Practical Tool for Evaluating Water Requirements. Water Resources Research, 13, 651-656.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/WR013i003p00651 [18] Jackson, R.D., Idso, S.B., Reginato, R.J. and Pinter Jr., P.J. (1981) Canopy Temperature as a Crop Water Stress Indicator. Water Resources Research, 17, 1133-1138.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/WR017i004p01133 [19] Price, J.C. (1982) Estimation of Regional Scale Evapotranspiration through Analysis of Satellite Thermal-Infrared Data. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 20, 286-292.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.1982.350445 [20] Van de Griend, A.A., Camillo, P.J. and Gurney, R.J. (1985) Discrimination of Soil Physical Parameters, Thermal Inertia and Soil Moisture from Diurnal Surface Temperature Fluctuations. Water Resources Research, 21, 997-1009.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/WR021i007p00997 [21] Price, J.C. (1985) On the Analysis of Thermal Infrared Imagery: The Limited Utility of Apparent Thermal Inertia. Remote Sensing of Environment, 18, 59-73.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0034-4257(85)90038-0 [22] Gunin, P.D., Vostokova, E.A., Dorofeyuk, N.I., Tarasov, P.I. and Black, C.C. (1999) Vegetation Dynamics of Mongolia. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 240 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9143-0 [23] Nemoto, M. (2007) Impact of Snow and Vegetation Activity on Energy and Water Balance in a Mongolian Grassland. Dissertation, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo. [24] Allen, R.G., Pereira, L.S., Raes, D. and Smith, M. (1998) Crop Evapotranspiration: Guidelines for Computing Crop Water Requirements—FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56. FAO, Rome. [25] Rosenberg, N.J. (1974) Microclimate: The Biological Environment. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 495 p. [26] Gillies, R.R. and Carlson, T.N. (1995) Thermal Remote Sensing of Surface Soil Water Content with Partial Vegetation Cover for Incorporation into Climate Models. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 34, 745-756.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1995)034<0745:TRSOSS>2.0.CO;2
[1] Mohamed. A.A., Kimura, R., Shinoda, M. and Moriyama, M. (2011) Diurnal Surface Temperature Difference Index Derived from Ground-Based Meteorological Measurements for Assessment of Moisture Availability. Journal of Arid Environments, 75, 156-163.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.09.013 [2] Barlow, M., Cullen, H. and Lyon, B. (2002) Drought in Central and Southwest Asia: LaNina, the Warm Pool, and Indian Ocean Precipitation. Journal of Climate, 15, 697-700.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2002)015<0697:DICASA>2.0.CO;2 [3] Dai, A., Trenberth, K. and Karl, T. (1998) Global Variations in Droughts and Wet Spells: 1900-1995. Geophysical Research Letters, 25, 3367-3370.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/98GL02389 [4] Hoerling, M. and Kumar, A. (2003) The Perfect Ocean for Drought. Science, 299, 691-694.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1079053 [5] Lotsch, A., Friedl, M.A., Anderson, B.T. and Tucker, C.J. (2005) Response of Terrestrial Ecosystems to Recent Northern Hemispheric Drought. Geophysical Research Letters, 32, Article ID: L06705.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004GL022043 [6] Erdenetsetseg, D., Shinoda, M. and Nemoto, M. (2004) Drought Assessment in Mongolia. Proceedings of International Conference on High-Impact Weather and Climate: Understanding, Prediction and Socio-Economic Consequences. Seoul, 22-24 March 2004, 288-291. [7] Miyazaki, S., Yasunari, T., Miyamoto, T., Kaihotsu, I., Davaa, G., Oyunbaatar, D., Natsagdorj, L. and Oki, T. (2004) Agrometeorological Conditions of Grassland Vegetation in Central Mongolia and Their Impact for Leaf Area Growth. Journal of Geophysical Research, 109, Article ID: D22106.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005179 [8] Munkhtsetseg , E., Kimura, R., Wang, J. and Shinoda, M. (2007) Pasture Yield Response to Precipitation and High Temperature in Mongolia. Journal of Arid Environments, 70, 94-110.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.11.013 [9] Zhang, Y., Munkhtsetseg, E., Kadota, T. and Ohata, T. (2005) An Observational Study of Ecohydrology of a Sparse Grassland at the Edge of the Eurasian Cryosphere in Mongolia. Journal of Geophysical Research, 110, Article ID: D14103. [10] Davi, N.K., Jacoby, G.C., D’Arrigo, R.D., Baatarbileg, N., Li, J.B. and Curtis, A.E. (2009) A Tree-Ring-Based Drought Index Reconstruction for Far-Western Mongolia. International Journal of Climatology, 29, 1508-1514.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/joc.1798 [11] Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and Human Well-Being. World Resources Institute, Washington DC. [12] Zhang, J. and Lin, Z. (1992) Climate of China. John Wiley & Sons, New York, and Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, Shanghai, 376 p. [13] Gates, D.M. (1964) Leaf Temperature and Transpiration. Agronomy Journal, 56, 273-277.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1964.00021962005600030007x [14] Wiegand, C.L. and Namken, L.N. (1966) Influences of Plant Moisture Stress, Solar Radiation and Air Temperature on Cotton Leaf Temperature. Agronomy Journal, 58, 582-586.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1966.00021962005800060009x [15] McVicar, T.R. and Jupp, D.L.B. (1998) The Current and Potential Operational Uses of Remote Sensing to Aid Decisions on Drought Exceptional Circumstances in Australia: A Review. Agricultural Systems, 57, 399-468.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0308-521X(98)00026-2 [16] Idso, S.B., Jackson, R.D. and Reginato, R.J. (1977) Remote-Sensing of Crop Yields. Science, 196, 19-25.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.196.4285.19 [17] Jackson, R., Reginato, R. and Idso, S. (1977) Wheat Canopy Temperature: A Practical Tool for Evaluating Water Requirements. Water Resources Research, 13, 651-656.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/WR013i003p00651 [18] Jackson, R.D., Idso, S.B., Reginato, R.J. and Pinter Jr., P.J. (1981) Canopy Temperature as a Crop Water Stress Indicator. Water Resources Research, 17, 1133-1138.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/WR017i004p01133 [19] Price, J.C. (1982) Estimation of Regional Scale Evapotranspiration through Analysis of Satellite Thermal-Infrared Data. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 20, 286-292.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.1982.350445 [20] Van de Griend, A.A., Camillo, P.J. and Gurney, R.J. (1985) Discrimination of Soil Physical Parameters, Thermal Inertia and Soil Moisture from Diurnal Surface Temperature Fluctuations. Water Resources Research, 21, 997-1009.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/WR021i007p00997 [21] Price, J.C. (1985) On the Analysis of Thermal Infrared Imagery: The Limited Utility of Apparent Thermal Inertia. Remote Sensing of Environment, 18, 59-73.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0034-4257(85)90038-0 [22] Gunin, P.D., Vostokova, E.A., Dorofeyuk, N.I., Tarasov, P.I. and Black, C.C. (1999) Vegetation Dynamics of Mongolia. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 240 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9143-0 [23] Nemoto, M. (2007) Impact of Snow and Vegetation Activity on Energy and Water Balance in a Mongolian Grassland. Dissertation, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo. [24] Allen, R.G., Pereira, L.S., Raes, D. and Smith, M. (1998) Crop Evapotranspiration: Guidelines for Computing Crop Water Requirements—FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56. FAO, Rome. [25] Rosenberg, N.J. (1974) Microclimate: The Biological Environment. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 495 p. [26] Gillies, R.R. and Carlson, T.N. (1995) Thermal Remote Sensing of Surface Soil Water Content with Partial Vegetation Cover for Incorporation into Climate Models. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 34, 745-756.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1995)034<0745:TRSOSS>2.0.CO;2