Estimation of fractional vegetation cover dynamics and its drivers based on multi-sensor data in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan.

Time series study about the changes in Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) with its drivers is studied. From 2003 to 2013, FVC was calculated using remotely sensed data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer-Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (MODIS-NDVI), Landsat-7, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Operational Linescan System (DMSP/OLS), and Compound Night Light Index (CNLI). The mean value of FVC is 0.34 (34 %). The findings indicate that the highest annual mean values are between 34% and 37%, and 31% and 33%, that correspond to level of 70% and 40%, respectively. The trend analysis by MODIS and Landsat-7 has the low (10%) FVC in the northern parts due to increase in industrial development, urbanization, changes in landuse, landcover and other linked environmental factors. The southwestern-southeastern and eastern areas showed medium (40 %) and high (70 %) FVC respectively. This is because of water availability and less human disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]