Remote sensing data predict indicators of soil functioning in semi-arid steppes, central Spain

A substantial part of current research efforts on desertification are devoted to establish monitoring systems to evaluate the status of natural resources and the onset of desertification processes. Methodologies based on ground-collected soil and plant indicators are being increasingly used for this aim because they
are affordable yet do not compromise accuracy. Despite their inherent value, these methods have limitations
regarding the extent of the area that can be monitored using them. Such limitations can be overcome combining field-based approaches with remote sensing data, which allow the establishment of monitoring
programs over large areas. In this article we tested the relationship between a field methodology based on indicators of ecosystem functioning, the landscape function analysis (LFA), and a vegetation
index (NDVI) obtained from satellite images of the ASTER sensor using data gathered in Stipa tenacissima
steppes from central Spain. LFA uses soil surface indicators t...