The study aimed to assess the vegetation dynamics in Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) by using 250 meter resolution
data product of Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). It focused mainly on vegetation indices (VI) as a
proxy for vegetation activity. Long term trends in vegetation activity of MHNP and the factors that have affected the
vegetation activity were identified. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI)
were examined to count on both spatial and temporal trends. Seasonal Mann-Kendall (SMK) test was used to test the
statistical significance of the data sets. The results showed significant variations in the vegetation activity in both NDVI and
EVI. Results revealed about 3% and 31% of the total area is showing regressive and progressive trends for NDVI,
respectively. Whereas EVI analysis exhibited 4% with regressive and an increase over 13.5% of the total area of MHNP.
Besides hiking tracks, settlements, water course and fire activities; limestone exploration is the major cause of vegetation
degradation, especially, in the western parts of MHNP. Degradation was found prominent near picnic spots and over the
limestone extraction area. This study indicated that EVI is more sensitive to vegetation degradation as compared to NDVI.
Naila Yasmin, Muhammad Fahim Khokhar, Sundus Tanveer, Zafeer Saqib, Waseem Razzaq Khan. (2016) Dynamical Assessment Of Vegetation Trends Over Margalla Hills National Park By Using Modis Vegetation Indices, , Volume-53, Issue-4.
