Effects of Precipitation and Temperature Variability on Vegetation Cover of Nuristan Province (2000-2025) Using Remote Sensing and GIS

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Published Dec 27, 2025
https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v4i02.397
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Vol. 4 No. 02 (2025): June

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Said Rahmatullah Sadat
Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University
Shahidullah Amn
Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University
Gulbuddin Gulab
Nangarhar University
Shafiqullah Aryan
Nangarhar University
Spinghar Hanifi
Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University

Abstract

Climate change primarily affects vegetation dynamics, particularly in ecologically sensitive and mountainous regions such as Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. This study, which applies integrated remote sensing and GIS techniques, examines long-term climate change impacts on vegetation from 2000 to 2025, with a focus on precipitation and temperature. Landsat ETM-7 imagery was used to establish NDVI variation, while MODIS products provided land surface temperature and precipitation data. Interactions between climate and vegetation were analyzed using spatial techniques and statistical methods, including Pearson correlation and multiple regression. The results indicate that interannual precipitation variability is high, with a notable decline since 2021, suggesting the onset of drought conditions. Apart from some rare fluctuations in recent times, land surface temperature has not remained stable during this period. An inverse spatial correlation between LST and NDVI was observed, further confirming the role of dense vegetation as a cooling agent. NDVI trends reveal fluctuating vegetation health, with positive responses during wetter years and declines in dry years and/or in years of rising temperatures. The findings emphasize the vulnerability of Nuristan province's forest ecosystems to climate change and highlight the significance of satellite monitoring in sustainable land and resource management. This research provides a foundation for developing regional climate adaptation strategies and environmental planning for high-altitude forest landscapes under climate stress.

Keywords

GIS, Nuristan, province, Rainfall, Remote, Sensing, Temperature

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Author Biographies

Said Rahmatullah Sadat , Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University

Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University, Kunar, Afghanistan

Shahidullah Amn, Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University

Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University, Kunar, Afghanistan

Gulbuddin Gulab, Nangarhar University

Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Nangarhar University, Nangarhar, Afghanistan

Shafiqullah Aryan, Nangarhar University

Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Nangarhar University, Nangarhar, Afghanistan

Spinghar Hanifi, Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University

Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University, Kunar, Afghanistan

How to Cite
Sadat , S. R., Amn, S., Gulab, G., Aryan, S., & Hanifi, S. (2025). Effects of Precipitation and Temperature Variability on Vegetation Cover of Nuristan Province (2000-2025) Using Remote Sensing and GIS. Nangarhar University International Journal of Biosciences, 4(02), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v4i02.397

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