Estimation of perennial vegetation cover distribution in the Mojave Desert using MODIS-EVI data

This paper details a method to create regional models of perennial vegetation cover using pre-existing field data and satellite imagery. Total cover of perennial vegetation is an important ecological attribute of desert ecosystems, including the Mojave Desert, USA, an area of 125,000 km(2). Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Enhanced Vegetation Index (MODIS-EVI) data were coupled with measurements of total perennial cover and plot elevation using stepwise linear regression and linear regression techniques to create two models of cover. The final models produced R-2 of 0.82 and 0.81, respectively, and yielded maps of perennial cover distribution in the Mojave Desert at 250 m spatial resolution.