Classification management for grassland using MODIS data: a case study in the Gannan region, China

Classification of grasslands is a convenient method to measure and manage the sustainability of Chinese grasslands. In this study, a timely and reliable procedure was examined using remote-sensing (RS) techniques. Linear regression analysis between field survey data and Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data showed that among 17 vegetation indices (VIs) evaluated, the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) was the best VI to simulate forage dry biomass and cover in the Gannan region. The results of precision estimation of the models showed that power and logarithm regression satisfactorily simulated grassland dry biomass and grassland cover, respectively. The index of classification management of grasslands (ICGs) was used to subdivide grasslands into conservation grasslands and moderately productive grasslands in the Gannan region, where no grasslands fell into intensively productive grasslands. Conservation grasslands accounted for 2.04% of the available grasslands, whereas moderately productive grasslands were 97.96% of the available grasslands, and this is related to the history of the grasslands’ use and the per capita income in the Gannan region. This study proposes that the area of conservation grasslands and that of moderately productive grasslands are determined by increases in per capita income and changes in the human use of grasslands.

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