Assessment of Forest Damage caused by Ice Storm based on MODIS Data- A Case Study of Jiangxi Province, China

National Key Basic Research Program of China 2012CB416903 2009CB421101<span class="hitHilite">Ice</span> <span class="hitHilite">storm</span> as a natural disaster influences the structure, function and dynamics <span class="hitHilite">of</span> many <span class="hitHilite">forest</span> ecosystems. Between 11 January and 5 February 2008, an unexpected <span class="hitHilite">ice</span> <span class="hitHilite">storm</span> hit southern China. The objective <span class="hitHilite">of</span> this study is to evaluate the <span class="hitHilite">damage</span> <span class="hitHilite">of</span> subtropical <span class="hitHilite">forest</span> from the severe <span class="hitHilite">ice</span> <span class="hitHilite">storm</span> in Jiangxi Province. The study quantified <span class="hitHilite">forest</span> <span class="hitHilite">damage</span> <span class="hitHilite">by</span> using changes in Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS). The result showed a northeast-to-southwest pattern <span class="hitHilite">of</span> <span class="hitHilite">forest</span> <span class="hitHilite">damage</span> in the basin. Results indicated that the <span class="hitHilite">ice</span> <span class="hitHilite">storm</span> <span class="hitHilite">caused</span> EVI abruptly decreased from 0.28 to 0.23. The reduction on EVI <span class="hitHilite">by</span> the <span class="hitHilite">ice</span> <span class="hitHilite">storm</span> is quite similar for mixed broadleaf-conifer forests (0.037) and evergreen broad-leaf forests (0.039) but is the highest for the coniferous forests (0.047). This result suggests that the artificial pure coniferous forests are most vulnerable to the <span class="hitHilite">ice</span> <span class="hitHilite">storm</span> disturbance