Exploring vegetation health in Southern Thailand under climate stress from temperature and water impacts between 2000 and 2023

This study provides a detailed spatiotemporal analysis of vegetation health in Southern Thailand from 2000 to 2023, focusing on the impacts of temperature and water stress on vegetation degradation. Using high-resolution Landsat-derived kernel Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (kNDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST), alongside precipitation (PPT), soil moisture (SM), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and solar radiation (SR), several key indices were derived such as Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), and Vegetation Health Index (VHI). The study offers a robust framework to monitor vegetation health under climate stress by integrating satellite-based indices with detailed climate datasets. Our findings reveal significant temperature-induced stress during critical years like 2005 and 2016, with over 60% of the region experiencing vegetation degradation. Long-term trend analysis indicates that while 22.5% of forested areas show signs of recovery, 3.6% continue to degrade, primarily due to persistent temperature extremes and water stress. Soil moisture emerged as a critical driver during the dry season, positively influencing 11.16% of the region, while solar radiation exhibited mixed effects depending on moisture availability. These insights highlight the complex interplay of climatic drivers on vegetation dynamics, particularly in tropical ecosystems. The study underscores the need for adaptive management strategies to enhance resilience against climate extremes, providing valuable guidance for sustainable land management in Southern Thailand.