Assesment of Start and End of Growing Seasons in different Ecological Zones of Nigeria Using Satellite Data
Keywords:
Phenology, NDVI, climate, Inflexion points, start of season, end of season, length of season, Phenology, NDVI, climate, Inflexion points, start of season. end of season, length of seasonAbstract
The work analyzes phonological parameters: start of season (SOS), end of season (EOS), peak of season (POS), and length of season (LOS) using the Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Version 3g (NDVI-3g) data from 1982 to 2015. The inflexion point method was used in determining the phenological metrics. Results show that the Humid zone (H) has the highest mean NDVI, indicating healthier vegetation cover, while the Warm Arid zone (WA) has the lowest mean NDVI, suggesting less vegetation. Seasonal variations in NDVI values are observed, with highest values during the wet season and lower values during the dry season. The Cold Sub-Humid zone (CSH)
has the lowest mean temperature, while the Warm Arid zone (WA) has the highest mean temperature. Precipitation analysis shows that the Humid zone (H) has the highest mean precipitation, indicating better agricultural circumstances, while the Warm Arid zone (WA) has the lowest mean precipitation, indicating limited water supply. The phenology shifts in the zones occur at various rates from 1982 to 2015. The growth season is long and has an early start and late end in the H zone. The WSH zone also has an early start but a relatively short growing season. The growing season is shorter and starts earlier in the SA zone. The growing season in the WA zone begins rather early and lasts reasonably long. In the CSH zone, the growing season starts late and also has a relatively short length. In each zone, these changes in phenology shift rates may have a big
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