Mining activities in arid regions frequently result in severe ecological degradation, posing a threat to the health of vegetation and biodiversity. Remote sensing offers an efficient means for long-term environmental monitoring, particularly when field access is limited. This study investigates the multi-decadal impacts of phosphate mining pollution on desert vegetation in Israel’s Negev Desert, utilizing satellite-based NDVI analysis and field spectroscopy. A 36-year Landsat-derived NDVI record (1984–2020) was analyzed for a polluted site affected by mining effluent and a nearby unpolluted reference site. The polluted site exhibited an early increase in NDVI (1984–2011) due to nutrient-rich runoff containing nitrates and chlorides, which temporarily enhanced plant growth. From 2013 onward, NDVI sharply declined, coinciding with elevated groundwater levels of toxic metals, arsenic (304 µg/L, ~3 times above the Israeli Ministry of Health limits), boron (2069 µg/L, ~2 times above Health Canada limits), and nickel (254 µg/L, ~13 times above U.S. EPA limits). In contrast, the reference site exhibited a steady increase in NDVI, linked to natural rainfall variability.
Change detection revealed a net loss of 90,900 m² in vegetation at the polluted site, compared to a gain of 66,600 m² at the reference site. Field spectral measurements of Phoenix dactylifera, Phragmites australis, Atriplex halimus, and Sueda vera showed species-specific stress responses, with red-edge and near-infrared shifts indicating chlorophyll degradation, most evident in palm and Sueda. These findings demonstrate the value of combining NDVI time series and hyperspectral data to detect ecological stress, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable mining practices in vulnerable desert ecosystems.
