Research Article

Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye

Volume: 8 July 3, 2026

Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye

Abstract

Land surface phenology (LSP) provides a valuable indicator for monitoring natural and human-induced vegetation dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems. Remote sensing has become a primary tool to capture LSP metrics. This study investigates long-term LSP dynamics in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye. Gap-filled and smoothed 8-day NDVI composite time series were generated from Landsat 5/7/8/9 satellite imagery for the 1985-2025 period using cubic spline interpolation. Annual LSP metrics were derived using the dynamic thresholds method, with a 30% seasonal amplitude threshold and a 20% peak prominence threshold. The non-parametric trend analysis showed that start of season (SOS) was delayed by 2.0 days/year in arable land, while advanced by 0.9 days/year in grassland. However, the arable land-well end of season (EOS) was postponed by 1.0 days/year in contrast to arable land EOS advanced by 1.1 days/year. This may suggest different phenological characteristics of two cropping practices. The growing season length (LOS) shortened by about 68 and 88 days from 1985 to 2025 for grassland and arable land, respectively. The peak NDVI trend in arable land was 0.009 NDVI/year, while 81% of irrigated zones were significant (p<0.05). The grassland areas showed relatively lower trends. The results indicate a substantial LSP shift over the past 41 years, characterized by a shortened LOS, delayed SOS, and divergent EOS trends in arable land near irrigation wells. Observed LSP patterns are consistent with escalated agricultural activities and irrigation. While agricultural productivity proxies increased, their environmental cost is likely excessive use of groundwater resources. These findings highlight the importance of Landsat-based LSP monitoring for sustainable crop pattern planning and integrated water management in semi-arid regions.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

In the study, the authors declare that there is no violation of research and publication ethics and that the study does not require ethics committee approval.

Thanks

We are thankful for the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) data provided by Turkish General Directorate of Agricultural Reform.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Remote Sensing , Earth and Space Science Informatics

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 3, 2026

Submission Date

March 31, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 13, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 8

APA
Atiz, Ö. F., & Durduran, S. S. (2026). Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing, 8. https://doi.org/10.51489/tuzal.1919600
AMA
1.Atiz ÖF, Durduran SS. Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye. TJRS. 2026;8. doi:10.51489/tuzal.1919600
Chicago
Atiz, Ömer Faruk, and Süleyman Savaş Durduran. 2026. “Land Surface Phenology Dynamics Using a 41-Year Landsat NDVI Time Series in the Semi-Arid Agriculture-Dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye”. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing 8 (July). https://doi.org/10.51489/tuzal.1919600.
EndNote
Atiz ÖF, Durduran SS (July 1, 2026) Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing 8
IEEE
[1]Ö. F. Atiz and S. S. Durduran, “Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye”, TJRS, vol. 8, July 2026, doi: 10.51489/tuzal.1919600.
ISNAD
Atiz, Ömer Faruk - Durduran, Süleyman Savaş. “Land Surface Phenology Dynamics Using a 41-Year Landsat NDVI Time Series in the Semi-Arid Agriculture-Dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye”. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing 8 (July 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.51489/tuzal.1919600.
JAMA
1.Atiz ÖF, Durduran SS. Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye. TJRS. 2026;8. doi:10.51489/tuzal.1919600.
MLA
Atiz, Ömer Faruk, and Süleyman Savaş Durduran. “Land Surface Phenology Dynamics Using a 41-Year Landsat NDVI Time Series in the Semi-Arid Agriculture-Dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye”. Turkish Journal of Remote Sensing, vol. 8, July 2026, doi:10.51489/tuzal.1919600.
Vancouver
1.Ömer Faruk Atiz, Süleyman Savaş Durduran. Land surface phenology dynamics using a 41-year Landsat NDVI time series in the semi-arid agriculture-dominated Altinekin Basin, Türkiye. TJRS. 2026 Jul. 1;8. doi:10.51489/tuzal.1919600

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