NDVI Based Assessment of Land Cover Changes Using Remote Sensing and GIS (A case study of Srinagar district, Kashmir)

Abstract

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is an index of greenness or photosynthetic activity in a plant. It is a technique of obtaining  various features based upon their spectral signature  such as vegetation index, land cover classification, urban areas and remaining areas presented in the image. The NDVI differencing method using Landsat thematic mapping images and Landsat oli  was implemented to assess the chane in vegetation cover from 2001to 2017. In the present study, Landsat TM images of 2001 and landsat 8 of 2017 were used to extract NDVI values. The NDVI values calculated from the satellite image of the year 2001 ranges from 0.62 to -0.41 and that of the year 2017 shows a significant change across the whole region and its value ranges from 0.53 to -0.10 based upon their spectral signature .This technique is also  used for the mapping of changes in land use  and land cover.  NDVI method is applied according to its characteristic like vegetation at different NDVI threshold values such as -0.1, -0.09, 0.14, 0.06, 0.28, 0.35, and 0.5. The NDVI values were initially computed using the Natural Breaks (Jenks) method to classify NDVI map. Results confirmed that the area without vegetation, such as water bodies, as well as built up areas and barren lands, increased from 35 % in 2001 to 39.67 % in 2017.Key words: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index,land use/landcover, spectral signature