ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE AND VEGETATION CHANGES IN SOME AREAS OF THE MONGOLIAN PLATEAU USING SATELLITE DATA

Abstract

The Mongolian Plateau is one of Central Asia's most climatically sensitive regions, where ecological changes driven by temperature rise, precipitation variability, and land-use pressure pose growing challenges for environmental sustainability. This study investigates long-term changes in vegetation and climate across three representative plateau regions, including the southern desert, the eastern steppe, and the northern forest-steppe, using satellite-derived data from MODIS sensors (NDVI, LST, and ET) from 2000 to 2024. Data processing and analysis were conducted using Google Earth Engine and QGIS, applying normalization, standardization (Z-score), and weighted integration through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). A regional vegetation–climate response type classification was developed, dividing each study area into four types based on environmental conditions and interannual variability. Which are: ● Type I: high NDVI, low LST and ET, with low changes ● Type II: low NDVI, high LST and ET, with low changes ● Type III: high NDVI, low LST and ET, with great changes ● Type IV: low NDVI, high LST and ET, with great changes In Umnugovi Province and neighboring areas of Inner Mongolia, Type I and Type IV accounted for 18.9% and 37.4% of the total area, respectively. In eastern Mongolia (Dornod and adjacent settlements), Type I and Type IV covered 28.8% and 34.0%, respectively. The northern regions (Selenge and Darkhan) exhibited smaller proportions of these types, with 5.0% for Type I and 19.3% for Type IV. These classifications highlight the spatial heterogeneity in vegetation-climate responses under changing climatic conditions and emphasize the value of remote sensing data in informing regional environmental management, land-use policy, and climate adaptation strategies, particularly in mining-affected landscapes