Spectral characteristics of main plant in Seriphidium transiliense desert grassland

The community composition of desert grassland in different regions is quite different. Using this difference to identify the constituent species and distinguish the community quickly and efficiently is worth studying. In this study, using a portable spectrometer, the spectral characteristics of community and plants were collected on two communities: Seriphidium transiliense + Petrosimonia sibirica (W community) and Seriphidium transiliense + Kochia prostrata (S community). By analyzing the spectral characteristics, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and ratio vegetation index (RVI), the feasibility of using spectral features and vegetation indices for vegetation classification was discussed. The results showed that the reflection characteristics indicated by the green band and absorption depth indicated by the red band of different plants were significantly different in May and September. The NDVI of S. transiliense was similar to that of Malcolmia maritima and Ceratocarpus arenarius. Affected by the seasonal phase, the RVI of species and community was significantly different in May; however, in September, the RVI differences between species and communities were not obvious, possibly owing to the influence of soil, which made it impossible to clearly distinguish species and communities based on RVI in this month. Therefore, RVI can be used to classify S. transiliense desert grassland composed of different species in May.