The　scale-location　specific　control　on　vegetation　distribution　was　investigated　through　continuous　wavelet　transforms　approaches　in　subtropical　mountain-hill　region,　Fujian,　China.　The　Normalized　Difference　Vegetation　Index　(NDVI)　was　calculated　as　an　indicator　of　vegetation　greenness　using　Chinese　Environmental　Disaster　Reduction　Satellite　images　along　latitudinal　and　longitudinal　transects.　Four　scales　of　variations　were　identified　from　the　local　wavelet　spectrum　of　NDVI,　with　much　stronger　wavelet　variances　observed　at　larger　scales.　The　characteristic　scale　of　vegetation　distribution　within　mountainous　and　hilly　regions　in　Southeast　China　was　around　20　km.　Significantly　strong　wavelet　coherency　was　generally　examined　in　regions　with　very　diverse　topography,　typically　characterized　as　small　mountains　and　hills　fractured　by　rivers　and　residents.　The　continuous　wavelet　based　approaches　provided　valuable　insight　on　the　hierarchical　structure　and　its　corresponding　characteristic　scales　of　ecosystems,　which　might　be　applied　in　defining　proper　levels　in　multilevel　models　and　optimal　bandwidths　in　Geographically　Weighted　Regression.　©　2013　Science　Press,　Institute　of　Mountain　Hazards　and　Environment,　CAS　and　Springer-Verlag　Berlin　Heidelberg.