Notes |
ABSTRACT:
The main objective of the study was to monitor and map the saxaul forest in the Gobi region of Mongolia, using satellite remote sensing imagery. Saxaul forests usually grow in the arid and semi-arid regions of Asia and the desert of Mongolia, where they are the
dominant endemic brush type plant. The importance of the saxaul forest to Mongolia is that they help to stabilize the active sand dunes and reduce the effects of sand storms. A decrease in the area of saxaul forests from logging and firewood gathering is one
probably cause for why sand storms are becoming more harmful in Mongolia. Detailed monitoring of the saxaul forests over a large area of Mongolia, using satellite remote sensing has not previously been carried out. A Linear Mixing Model (LMM) was applied in this study to classify the saxaul forest. The accuracy assessment was compared between the fractions of pixels estimated from the LMM with ground data measured from on site fieldwork in the Gobi. The extents of the saxaul forest in the study area were delineated using Landsat TM data from 1994 along with topographic maps from 1969. The result of the study showed saxaul forest
area as 19,480 hectares and 9,900 hectares in 1969 and 1994 respectively. Further research should test the robustness of the methods
adopted here when applied to large areas by using multi-temporal data to detect saxaul forest changes resulting from desertification
in the Gobi. Counter point mixtures of vegetation types to be present within a pixel, even with high-resolution data from Landsat TM
and the SPOT High Resolution Visible Imaging System. |
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