Publications

I have published 17 papers in peer-reviewed journals, including eight as first author. In addition, one manuscript has been accepted in Applied Vegetation Science, two are currently under review, and several others are in preparation. My publications have received more than 3,200 citations, with an h-index of 13 (Google Scholar, May 2026). I am the first and corresponding author of two highly cited papers published in 2018 and 2020.

My recent research has focused on understanding biodiversity and ecosystem responses to environmental change across spatial scales through the integration of ecological observations, Earth Observation data, spatial analyses, and large environmental datasets.

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Peer-Reviewed Journals (published)

[17]. Oyundelger, K., Jäschke, Y., Gonchigsumlaa, G., Batjav, B., Damdindorj, S., Munkhzul, O., Phan, T.-N., Drees, L., Kasymov, U., Lehnert, L., Ring, I., Müller, T., Ritz, C. M., Mehring, M., & Wesche, K. (2026). Pasture condition in the Mongolian steppe: Cross-validating traditional ecological knowledge and field-based ecological surveys. Biological Conservation, 313, 111587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111587

[16]. Ji, S., Gonchigsumlaa, G., Damdindorj, S., Tseren, T., Sharavjamts, D., Otgondemberel, A., Gurjav, E., Puntsagsuren, M., Tsabatshir, B., Gungaa, T., Batbold, N., Drees, L., Ganbayar, B., Orosoo, D., Lkhamsuren, B., Ganbat, B., Damdinsuren, M., Gombosuren, G., Dashpurev, B., Phan, T.-N., Dejid, N., Müller, T., Lehnert, L. (2025). Can Vegetation Breakpoints in Eastern Mongolia rangeland be detected using Sentinel-1 coherence time series data? GIScience & Remote Sensing, 62(1), 2540222. https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2025.2540222

[15]. Nguyen, C. T., Diem, P. K., Nghia, D. H., Diem, N. K., Diep, N. T. H., Phan, T.-N., Vo, Q. M., & Quang, N. H. (2025). Leveraging convolutional neural networks and textural features for tropical fruit tree species classification. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 39, 101633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2025.101633

[14]. Diem, P. K., Nguyen, C. T., Diem, N. K., Diep, N. T. H., Thao, P. T. B., Hong, T. G., & Phan, T.-N. (2024). Remote sensing for urban heat island research: Progress, current issues, and perspectives. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2023.101081

[13]. Ji, S., Dashpurev, B., Phan, T.-N., Dorj, M., Jäschke, Y., & Lehnert, L. (2024). Above‐ground biomass retrieval with multi‐source data: Prediction and applicability analysis in Eastern Mongolia. Land Degradation & Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5109

[12]. Dashpurev, B., Dorj, M., Phan, T.-N., Bendix, J., & Lehnert, L. W. (2023). Estimating fractional vegetation cover and aboveground biomass for land degradation assessment in eastern Mongolia steppe: combining ground vegetation data and remote sensing. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 44(2), 452-468. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2023.2165421

[11]. Nguyen, C. T., Kaewthongrach, R., Channumsin, S., Chongcheawchamnan, M., Phan, T.-N., & Niammuad, D. (2023). A regional assessment of ecological environment quality in Thailand special economic zone: Spatial heterogeneous influences and future prediction. Land Degradation & Development, 34(18), 5770-5787. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.4876

[10]. Phan, T.-N., Dashpurev, B., Wiemer, F., & Lehnert, L. W. (2022). A simple, fast, and accurate method for land cover mapping in Mongolia. Geocarto International, 37(26), 14432-14450. https://doi.org/10.1080/10106049.2022.2087759

[9]. Dashpurev, B., Wesche, K., Jäschke, Y., Oyundelger, K., Phan, T.-N., Bendix, J., & Lehnert, L. W. (2021). A cost-effective method to monitor vegetation changes in steppes ecosystems: A case study on remote sensing of fire and infrastructure effects in eastern Mongolia. Ecological Indicators, 132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108331

[8]. Phan, T.-N., Kuch, V., & Lehnert, L. W. (2020). Land Cover Classification using Google Earth Engine and Random Forest Classifier—The Role of Image Composition. Remote Sensing, 12(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12152411 (Highly Cited Paper)

[7]. Bayat, M., Phan, T.-N., Zare, R., & Bui, D. (2019). A Semi-empirical Approach Based on Genetic Programming for the Study of Biophysical Controls on Diameter-Growth of Fagus orientalis in Northern Iran. Remote Sensing, 11(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11141680

[6]. Phan, T.-N., Kappas, M., Nguyen, K. T., Tran, T. P., Tran, Q. V., & Emam, A. R. (2019). Evaluation of MODIS land surface temperature products for daily air surface temperature estimation in northwest Vietnam. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 40(14), 5544-5562. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2019.1580789

[5]. Phan, T.-N., & Kappas, M. (2018). Application of MODIS land surface temperature data: a systematic literature review and analysis. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, 12(04). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.Jrs.12.041501

[4]. Phan, T.-N., Kappas, M., & Tran, T. (2018). Land Surface Temperature Variation Due to Changes in Elevation in Northwest Vietnam. Climate, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/cli6020028

[3]. Phan, T.-N., & Kappas, M. (2018). Comparison of Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbor, and Support Vector Machine Classifiers for Land Cover Classification Using Sentinel-2 Imagery. Sensors (Basel), 18(1). doi:10.3390/s18010018 (Highly Cited Paper)

[2]. Phan, T.-N., Degener, J., & Kappas, M. (2017). Comparison of Multiple Linear Regression, Cubist Regression, and Random Forest Algorithms to Estimate Daily Air Surface Temperature from Dynamic Combinations of MODIS LST Data. Remote Sensing, 9(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs9050398

[1]. Phan, T.-N., Kappas, M., & Degener, J. (2016). Estimating Daily Maximum and Minimum Land Air Surface Temperature Using MODIS Land Surface Temperature Data and Ground Truth Data in Northern Vietnam. Remote Sensing, 8(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs8121002

Peer-Reviewed Journals (Under Review/Accepted)

[3]. Oyundelger, K., Phan, T.-N., Munkhzul, O., Jäschke, Y., Batlai, O., Lehnert, L., Ritz, C. M., & Wesche, K. Green is not always good: NDVI may not capture rangeland degradation in Mongolia. (Under Review).

[2]. Wang, Y., Oyunbileg, M., Khaliun, U., Batlai, O., Phan, T.-N., Lehnert, L., Gonchigsumlaa, G., Damdindorj, S., Kasymov, U., Drees, L., Mehring, M., Dejid, N., Wesche, K. Herder mobility matters yet climate controls plant community composition in eastern Mongolian steppe. (Under Review).

[1]. Jäschke, Y., Munkhzul, O., Khaliun, U., Oyuntsetseg, B., Phan, T.-N., Ji, S., Lehnert, L., Wesche, K. (2026). Beyond climate and grazing: impact of herder mobility on steppe vegetation. (Accepted in Applied Vegetation Science).

Conference Publications

[5]. Phan, T.-N., Zerres, V., Svanidze, D., Dashpurev, B., and L. W. Lehnert (2024). Grassland fire monitoring and their effects on ecosystems in Mongolian steppes. AGU24, 9-13 Dec, Washington D.C.

[4]. Dashpurev, B., Phan, T.-N., J. Bendix, L. Lehnert (2022). Deriving vegetation cover and land degradation in the vast eastern Mongolian Steppe from Sentinel 2 using random forest. ESA Living Planet Symposium, Bonn.

[3]. Dashpurev, B., Phan, T.-N., J. Bendix, and L. W. Lehnert (2021). Estimating the Effect of Infrastructure on Vegetation Degradation in Eastern Mongolia Steppe Using Machine Learning and Remote Sensing. IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS.

[2]. Lehnert, L. W. & Phan, T.-N. (2020). Comparison of fire products in Mongolia reveals contrasting results. 22nd EGU General Assembly, Vol. 22, p. 11064.

[1]. Phan, T.-N., Y. Jäschke, O. Chuluunkhuyag, M. Oyunbileg, K. Wesche, and L. W. Lehnert (2020). Remote sensing of grassland communities in Mongolian Steppe combining multi-source data and machine learning classification algorithms. 22nd EGU General Assembly, Vol. 22, p. 13399.