Accuracy assessment of MODIS land cover product of Gannan Prefecture

Gannan Prefecture was selected as research area to evaluate the classification accuracy of MODIS land cover product (MCD12Q1) by using visual interpretation result of TM image in 2004 as reference data. The results showed that: 1) Out of 4 types of MCD12Q1 product (IGBP, UMD, LAI/FPAR and PFT classification maps), the UMD classification map had the highest overall accuracy (61.03%), its producers accuracy of grassland classification reached 91.61%, and the users accuracy reached 61.53%. 2) The main source of error in 4 types of land cover classification maps was commission error of forest and omission error of grassland. The commission error of forest and the omission error of grassland for LAI/FPAR classification map was the highest (85.04% and 38.90% respectively). 3) Grassland area calculated from UMD classification maps in 2001 to 2005 was basically close to the local statistical result, which could reflect the dynamic change of temporal and spatial distribution and area of grassland in Gannan.