Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) in monitoring spatiotemporal changes of vegetation cover in a semi-arid area of the Al-Jafara plain (Al-Zahra), Libya, and to compare it with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Time series of Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI imagery from 1980, 2000, and 2022 were analyzed. Both indices revealed similar trends of significant decline in dense vegetation (e.g., woody lands) and rapid expansion of urban and bare areas. However, SAVI exhibited higher sensitivity in distinguishing vegetation from soil background effects than NDVI, particularly in low-to-medium density vegetation zones, making it more suitable for fragile semi-arid conditions. The study recommends adopting SAVI in national programs for desertification and land degradation monitoring and for enhancing vegetation management policies in similar regions.