NDVI, temperature and precipitation changes and their relationships with different vegetation types during 1998–2007 in Inner Mongolia, China

ABSTRACT Based on vegetation maps of Inner Mongolia, SPOT‐VEGETATION normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data, and temperature and precipitation data from 118 meteorological stations, this study analysed changes in NDVI, temperature and precipitation, and performed correlation analyses of NDVI, temperature and precipitation for eight different vegetation types during the growing seasons (April–October) of the period 1998–2007 in Inner Mongolia, China. We also investigated seasonal correlations and lag‐time effects, and our results indicated that for different vegetation types, NDVI changes during 1998–2007 showed great variation. NDVI correlated quite differently with temperature and precipitation, with obvious seasonal differences. Lag‐time effects also varied among vegetation types and seasons. On the whole, Inner Mongolia is becoming warmer, and drier for most regions, and ecological pressure in Inner Mongolia is increasing, and our focus on such issues is therefore important. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society