Abstract:

The change of vegetation coverage indicates the regional ecological environment and terrain factors as key factors of natural environment is important to basin’s vegetation coverage. Therefore, the influence of basin’s terrain factor on change of vegetation index provides scientific data for environmental and scientific management, protection and sustainable utilization. Based on TM remote sensing and ASTER GDEM, this paper presented the vegetation index varies with elevation, slope, aspect, terrain factors etc. in Shanxi Sushui River. The results showed that, low mountains with lower index than in plains, hills and high-middle mountains were transitional areas form agricultural vegetation to natural vegetation. Water and soil conservation was taken as priority. It was lowest index in slope areas 5°-10° which were mainly agricultural areas with frequent human activities and poor crops growing. Comprehensive improvement of land should be strengthened. The influence of aspect on vegetation index was significant and southern slope index was lowest, then southeast and southwest index. In northern, northwest and northeast slope, index was relatively high reflecting vegetation cover by aspect in studied field.