## 4 Discussion
In 2022, vegetation growth was particularly robust, possibly due to higher-than-average annual precipitation (560 mm) and temperature (10.5 \({}^{\circ}\)C), which were 35.5% above normal levels and the second highest since 1971. The factors determining the temporal and spatial variations in kNDVI differ across regions. Previous studies have demonstrated that human activities, precipitation, and temperature are the primary drivers of vegetation growth [70]. Soil properties influence plant community composition and indirectly affect vegetation growth [71]. In areas with minimal human activity, changes in vegetation growth are predominantly driven by climate factors, with precipitation primarily impacting arid and semi-arid regions, while temperature exerts a greater influence in colder areas [72,73]. However, regions characterized by moderate rainfall tend to have higher elevations, such as Gansu and Qinghai provinces in China [74,75]. Elevation and topography indirectly affect vegetation growth by influencing temperature, humidity, and light availability [76]. Areas affected by poor soil quality are particularly vulnerable to changes in vegetation growth. The Huoijitu mining area, situated in the transition zone between the Mu Us Desert and the Loess Plateau, experiences significant impacts on vegetation growth from human activities, climate, soil conditions, and topography. Various ecological restoration projects tailored to local ecological conditions have been implemented in this region. After prolonged restoration efforts, the vegetation growth rate in the Huoijitu mining area has significantly improved. However, this improvement cannot be solely attributed to artificial restoration; natural factors also play a crucial role. Studies indicate that vegetation changes in arid and semi-arid regions are more constrained by thermal factors (e.g., solar radiation and temperature fluctuations) [77]. Nevertheless, due to global warming and China's artificial rainfall measures aimed at controlling the Kubuqi and Mu Us Deserts on the Ordos Plateau, moisture conditions have become the predominant climatic factor influencing vegetation growth in the study area [78,79]. Although this study provides valuable insights, it also has certain limitations: (1) Due to the limited size of the study area, higher-resolution remote sensing images are required to capture more subtle changes in vegetation growth. While the spatial resolution of Landsat data is adequate for this study, it may not fully reflect fine-scale vegetation dynamics. Additionally, relying on a single remote sensing data source introduces potential uncertainties due to sensor-specific errors. Therefore, future research should integrate high-resolution multi-source remote sensing data to enhance vegetation monitoring accuracy. (2) The small size of the study area results in minimal variation in temperature and precipitation within the mining region. Consequently, this study analyzes the correlation between vegetation growth and air temperature and precipitation at the temporal scale rather than the spatial scale. Future studies should expand the analysis to larger areas to better capture spatial variations. (3) Vegetation growth is influenced by various natural factors, including soil type, soil moisture, evaporation, and runoff [80]. Therefore, these factors should be considered in future research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of vegetation dynamics.