Investigation of the High Mountain Vegetation Using Satellite Imagery, Kyrgyzstan

This study uses GIS and remote sensing applications to investigate land cover changes in the Alay Valley, Osh oblast, Kyrgyzstan over time using advanced methods such as NDVI calculation. It is concluded that NDVI fluctuates seasonally. According to the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis between NDVI and precipitation over the given period of time, very surprisingly, correlation turned out to be very weak, only 0.283, with a P-value equal to 0.241. However, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis between NDVI and temperature over the same time period was very high, 0.915, with a P-value equal to 0.000 indicating very strong correlation. Visually from maps, it is possible to judge how productive and healthy croplands are. The highest values and the lowest point of NDVI were found for over years, i.e., 1993–2017. From this data it is also possible to draw the conclusion that the highest month in terms of NDVI is August and lowest is May.