Reclamation areas and their development studied by vegetation indices

Abstract Large areas in the Czech Republic were used for open casts of brown coal mining. Many of them have been already closed. Reclamation of them and of their dumps is the next step intheir development. It is possible to divide used reclamations into the forest, hydrologic, agricultural and other ones – roads, etc. Their age varies from 45 years to as yet unfinished. Reclaimed areas are documented in reclamation projects. Information about age and land use determined groups of these areas to be evaluated by vegetation indices. 100 areas with forest type were evaluated. Eight vegetation indices (NDVI, DVI, RVI, PVI, SAVI, MSAVI, TSAVI and EVI) were calculated and their average value in each area in 1988, 1992 and 1998 Thematic Mapper data were compared. Changes over years showed close relation to precipitations of previous periods. This relation was confirmed by evaluation of forest areas situated near reclamation areas. Positive/negative changes of vegetation indices were different for different groups and different vegetation indices. An overview of results of vegetation indices is presented for individual areas whose land use comprised at least partly forest stand. Results in a 4-year period (1988–1992) were in many areas by many indices negative, changes in 10 years were in most areas by most vegetation indices positive. Changes, minimum values and maximum values in groups were compared. Evaluation of vegetation indices brought again various results. One vegetation index is not sufficient to prove improvement/deterioration of vegetation changes. Precipitation state before measurement should be controlled. Temporary shortage of precipitation can cause vegetation cover deterioration, which is also only temporary. The best development derived from vegetation indices evaluation was found at forest reclamation with mixed tree stand that was 10–20 years old. The method was derived as a tool for post-finishing control of vegetation development of reclamations performed in several year periods.