Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence is Very Sensitive to Drought

Continued drought can lead to vegetation mortality and reduced carbon sink capacity of terrestrial ecosystems. However, the complexity of the causes and processes of drought has led to a limited understanding of how vegetation performances under drought. Here we used solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) data to explore the impact of U.S Midwest drought on vegetation in 2012. At the whole study area and flux tower scale, SIF is more sensitive to the decrease in precipitation than EVI. SIF also can more accurately monitor the growth of vegetation under drought. SIF is an effective index for monitoring environmental stress on vegetation.