Author(s): Youngwook Kim; Abdalla Saber Abdalla Abdelhamid; Benazir Meerasha; Young Ki Kim; Ashley Kim
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Seasonal dynamics and interannual variability of vegetation productivity are closely linked to temperature fluctuations across most terrestrial biomes. However, in water-limited regions, soil moisture plays an additional and critical role in regulating ecological and hydrological processes. In-situ observations combined with satellite remote sensing have been widely utilized to monitor temporal variations in terrestrial ecosystem productivity and the associated biogeochemical processes, including carbon and water cycles. Despite this, few studies have focused specifically on seasonal eco-hydrological dynamics, biogeochemical cycling, and the hydroclimatic impacts on dryland ecosystems -- particularly in sparsely vegetated regions. In this study, we used optical and microwave satellite remote sensing data to monitor the spatial and temporal patterns of surface soil moisture (SFSM), root-zone soil moisture (RZSM), vegetation greenness, and evapotranspiration (ET) in relation to regional carbon and water cycles across a sparsely vegetated area in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The multi-source satellite datasets span six years (2016–2021) and include surface soil moisture, vegetation indices (VIs), and ET estimates derived from MODIS, LANDSAT-8, and Sentinel-2 platforms. Additionally, in-situ surface soil moisture was measured using a Delta-T WET-2-K4 sensor at the Al Ain site, capturing point-scale water content in the top ~5 cm of soil. The integration of satellite and in-situ data enhances our capability to observe and analyze vegetation dynamics and associated biogeochemical processes. The findings from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the seasonal behavior of vegetation productivity, evapotranspiration, and the feedback mechanisms within the carbon and water cycles under varying hydroclimatic conditions. This knowledge is crucial for predicting future feedbacks and their implications for biogeochemical processes in hyper-arid ecosystems.
Year: 2024