Spatiotemporal changes in vegetation greenness across continental Ecuador: a Pacific-Andean-Amazonian gradient, 1982–2010

ABSTRACT The tropics are greening, but little is known about greening patterns in the tropical Andes. Using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data on monthly and annual bases, this research analyzes greening across Ecuador from 1982–2010. Findings indicate overall significant greening after the mid ’90s with distinct seasonal variations across regions. In the Amazon greening occurs during months of low precipitation, resulting in a prolonged growing season and higher NDVI peak from the ’80s to the 2000s. A similar albeit less pronounced trend is observed in the eastern part of the Andes but during high rainfall. Different patterns are evident in western regions. In coastal Ecuador and the western Andes, no lengthening of the growing season occurs; greening occurs only in the coast due to increases in NDVI from the ’80s to the 2000s. These findings highlight the importance of sub-regional studies to further understand tropical vegetation greening and its drivers. Graphical abstract