The Effect of Weather Changes on Forests of Sefidkuh Protected Area Using Landsat Satellite Images in Iran

The weather fluctuations are important influential factors on vegetation cover. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify elements of climate changes including temperature and precipitation, and its effect on vegetation changes in Sefidkuh protected area located in Lorestan province using Landsat satellite images. So, at first the climate was determined and zoned based on de Martonne climatic index using temperature and rainfall data of 9 synoptic stations in the Lorestan province for a term of 17 years from 2000 to 2017. Then, vegetation index was computed and zoned using ETM+ images of Landsat 7 satellite in 2004 and OLI images of Landsat 8 in 2017 and finally, the relationship between climate change and vegetation was investigated. According to the results of this study and based on the de Martonne climatic index, the highest level of the area (7737.8 ha) was related to semiarid class with good cover in 2004. On the other hand, the lowest level was related to very humid class with weak cover (0.7 ha) and very humid class with excellent cover (4.5 hectare). But, these classifications have been changed, and the lowest level is related to the excellent cover (4,4169 hectares). In fact, the area of vegetation with good and excellent cover has decreased from 2017 to 2004 (from approximately 37000 to 14000 ha), and the climate of study area has changed to semi-dry.