Remotely sensed normalized difference red-edge index for rangeland biomass estimation

PurposeThe purpose of this study is rangeland biomass estimation and its spatial-temporal dynamics. Remote sensing has been a significant method for estimating biomass in recent years. The connection between vegetation index and field biomass will be used to assign probabilities, but in some cases, it does not provide acceptable results because of soil background and geographical and temporal variability. Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the normalized difference red-edge (NDRE) index was used to calculate the rangeland biomass in comparison to five vegetation indices. Field measurements of biomass of natural rangeland in the West of Iran were taken in 2015, 2018 and 2021, and SENTINEL-2 data were used for analysis. FindingsThe results indicated that the overall advantage of NDRE stems from the fact that it adjusts for changes in leaf water content while overcoming the detrimental effects of soil substrate heterogeneity, both of these factors have a significant impact on pasture biomass. These results suggest that an NDRE-based biomass estimation model might be useful for estimating and monitoring biomass in large rangelands with significant geographical and temporal variability. Originality/valueIdentifying the best vegetation index to establish a vegetation-based biomass regression model for rangelands in large areas with different climatic conditions, plant compositions and soil types is the overall aim of this study.