Remote Sensing-Based Assessment of Vegetation Ecological Quality and Ecological Water Requirement Thresholds in Central Asia

Quantifying vegetation ecological quality and ecological water requirement is essential for understanding ecosystem sustainability in arid regions. However, large-scale assessments of vegetation ecological quality and ecological water requirement thresholds remain limited in Central Asia. In this study, we developed a Vegetation Ecological Quality Index (VEQI) for Central Asia based on fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and net primary productivity (NPP) and estimated vegetation ecological water requirement quota (VEWRq) and total vegetation ecological water requirement (VEWR) using the Penman–Monteith method, the soil moisture limitation coefficient (SMLC), and GIS-based spatial analysis. We further examined the spatiotemporal variations in VEQI and VEWR during 2001–2020 and identified VEWRq thresholds corresponding to different VEQI levels. The results showed that (1) the multi-year mean VEQI in Central Asia was 28.46 and exhibited a slight increasing trend during 2001–2020; (2) the annual mean minimum, maximum, and optimal VEWRq were 147.53, 179.71, and 162.52 mm, respectively, corresponding to mean annual VEWR values of 146.98 × 109 m3, 179.04 × 109 m3 and 161.91 × 109 m3, respectively; and (3) VEQI was positively correlated with VEWRq in 89.48% of the vegetation area. The VEWRq threshold increased with vegetation ecological quality. The five VEQI levels in Central Asia, namely very poor, poor, moderate, good, and very good, corresponded to VEWRq thresholds of 28.62–35.96, 88.33–107.81, 190.69–233.32, 362.86–432.81, and 678.59–838.31 mm, respectively. This study provides a remote sensing-based framework for evaluating vegetation ecological quality and quantifying ecological water requirement thresholds in arid regions and offers scientific support for regional ecological management and water resource allocation.