Effects of woody elements on simulated canopy reflectance: Implications for forest chlorophyll content retrieval

An important bio-indicator of actual plant health status, the foliar content of chlorophyll a and b (Cab), can be estimated using imaging spectroscopy. For forest canopies, however, the relationship between the spectral response and leaf chemistry is confounded by factors such as background (e.g. understory), canopy structure, and the presence of non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV, e.g. woody elements)—particularly the appreciable amounts of standing and fallen dead wood found in older forests. We present a sensitivity analysis for the estimation of chlorophyll content in woody coniferous canopies using radiative transfer modeling, and use the modeled top-of-canopy reflectance data to analyze the contribution of woody elements, leaf area index (LAI), and crown cover (CC) to the retrieval of foliar Cab content. The radiative transfer model used comprises two linked submodels: one at leaf level (PROSPECT) and one at canopy level (FLIGHT). This generated bidirectional reflectance data according to the band settings of the Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS) from which chlorophyll indices were calculated. Most of the chlorophyll indices outperformed single wavelengths in predicting Cab content at canopy level, with best results obtained by the Maccioni index ([R₇₈₀ − R₇₁₀] / [R₇₈₀ − R₆₈₀]). We demonstrate the performance of this index with respect to structural information on three distinct coniferous forest types (young, early mature and old-growth stands). The modeling results suggest that the spectral variation due to variation in canopy chlorophyll content is best captured for stands with medium dense canopies. However, the strength of the up-scaled Cab signal weakens with increasing crown NPV scattering elements, especially when crown cover exceeds 30%. LAI exerts the least perturbations. We conclude that the spectral influence of woody elements is an important variable that should be considered in radiative transfer approaches when retrieving foliar pigment estimates in heterogeneous stands, particularly if the stands are partly defoliated or long-lived.     

Spatial and temporal variability of macrophyte cover and productivity in the eastern Amazon floodplain: A remote sensing approach

Herbaceous aquatic macrophytes cover extensive areas on the floodplains of the Amazon basin and are an important habitat and input of organic carbon. These communities have large intra- and inter-annual variability, and characterization of this variability is necessary to quantify the role of macrophytes in the ecology and biogeochemistry of the floodplain. A novel approach for mapping the temporal evolution of aquatic vegetation in the Amazon floodplain, which could be adapted to other spatially and temporally changing environments, is presented. Macrophyte cover varied seasonally and inter-annually, ranging between 104 and 198 km² for the floodplain examined (total area, 984 km²). The observed evolution of plant distribution indicated a spatial and temporal partition of macrophyte communities into short-lived and annual groups. A simulation of macrophyte net primary production (NPP) based on the mapping results indicated that at least 3% of NPP could be attributed to the short-lived communities. The present results suggest that significant changes in the macrophyte's contribution to carbon cycling in the Amazon floodplain could occur as a result of the predicted increase in frequency of drought years for the Amazon system due to climate change.     

基于ETM＋的北京西部山区乔木群落结构研究

利用遥感技术结合地面调查的方法对2008年春季北京西部山区乔木群落的多样性进行了研究。提取归一化植被指数（NDVI）,并计算NDVI随时间的变化率（△NDVI）;利用地面调查数据计算研究区的健康指数、Mar-galef丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Simpson多样性指数,并分析△NDVI、健康指数和多样性指数之间的关系。结果表明：（1）健康指数和多样性指数之间存在正相关关系,群落多样性指数越高,群落的整体健康状况越好。（2）△NDVI与健康指数之间呈正相关关系,健康指数越高的群落,单位时间内NDVI的增加值越大,植被群落的生长变化越明显。（3）△NDVI的高低可以代表区域植被的健康程度,反映区域植物群落的丰富度、多样性。△NDVI的值越高,植被群落的健康程度越好,植被群落的丰富度、多样性指数越高。本文的研究较好的将遥感技术和地面调查相结合,对△NDVI与群落植被健康程度、多样性指数进行了研究和验证,为以后研究植被群落多样性提供了一定的借鉴。     

一种改进IKONOS融合影像中植被色偏的IHS算法

在分析几种改进IHS算法的基础上,针对IKONOS影像融合后植被区出现的色偏问题,提出一种改进算法。该算法采用缨帽变换的方法提取植被信息,并对植被区与非植被区分别采用不同的融合策略,最终得到融合影像。实验结果表明,该算法在保持光谱和提高空间细节之间获得较好均衡的同时,植被区的色偏问题也得到改善,具有更好的目视效果,与几种改进的IHS算法对比分析,该算法均优于其他几种改进算法。     

基于HJ-1高光谱数据的植被覆盖度估测方法研究

植被覆盖度是衡量地表植被状况的一个重要参数,在水文、生态等方面有重要意义,同时,也是影响土壤侵蚀与水土流失的主要因子,是评价土地荒漠化最有效的指标。以环境一号(HJ-1)小卫星上搭载的新型传感器HSI获取的高光谱数据为数据源,通过选择合适的植被指数建立了植被覆盖度反演模型——像元二分模型。然后运用该模型提取了新疆石河子地区的植被覆盖度信息。通过与地面样方数据进行交互比较,对HJ-1/HSI数据反演植被覆盖度的精度进行了评价。研究结果表明,HJ-1/HSI数据能够得到较高精度的植被覆盖度反演结果,在植被动态及全球变化研究领域具有潜在应用价值。     

Integration of MODIS-derived metrics to assess interannual variability in snowpack, lake ice, and NDVI in southwest Alaska

Impacts of global climate change are expected to result in greater variation in the seasonality of snowpack, lake ice, and vegetation dynamics in southwest Alaska. All have wide-reaching physical and biological ecosystem effects in the region. We used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) calibrated radiance, snow cover extent, and vegetation index products for interpreting interannual variation in the duration and extent of snowpack, lake ice, and vegetation dynamics for southwest Alaska. The approach integrates multiple seasonal metrics across large ecological regions.Throughout the observation period (2001-2007), snow cover duration was stable within ecoregions, with variable start and end dates. The start of the lake ice season lagged the snow season by 2 to 3 months. Within a given lake, freeze-up dates varied in timing and duration, while break-up dates were more consistent. Vegetation phenology varied less than snow and ice metrics, with start-of-season dates comparatively consistent across years. The start of growing season and snow melt were related to one another as they are both temperature dependent. Higher than average temperatures during the El Niño winter of 2002-2003 were expressed in anomalous ice and snow season patterns. We are developing a consistent, MODIS-based dataset that will be used to monitor temporal trends of each of these seasonal metrics and to map areas of change for the study area.     

Effects of soil composition and mineralogy on remote sensing of crop residue cover

The management of crop residues (non-photosynthetic vegetation) in agricultural fields influences soil erosion and soil carbon sequestration. Remote sensing methods can efficiently assess crop residue cover and related tillage intensity over many fields in a region. Although the reflectance spectra of soils and crop residues are often similar in the visible, near infrared, and the lower part of the shortwave infrared (400-1900 nm) wavelength region, specific diagnostic chemical absorption features are evident in the upper shortwave infrared (1900-2500 nm) region. Two reflectance band height indices used for estimating residue cover are the Cellulose Absorption Index (CAI) and the Lignin-Cellulose Absorption (LCA) index, both of which use reflectances in the upper shortwave infrared (SWIR). Soil mineralogy and composition will affect soil spectral properties and may limit the usefulness of these spectral indices in certain areas. Our objectives were to (1) identify minerals and soil components with absorption features in the 2000 nm to 2400 nm wavelength region that would affect CAI and LCA and (2) assess their potential impact on remote sensing estimates of crop residue cover. Most common soil minerals had CAI values ≤ 0.5, whereas crop residues were always > 0.5, allowing for good contrast between soils and residues. However, a number of common soil minerals had LCA values > 0.5, and, in some cases, the mineral LCA values were greater than those of the crop residues, which could limit the effectiveness of LCA for residue cover estimation. The LCA of some dry residues and live corn canopies were similar in value, unlike CAI. Thus, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) or similar method should be used to separate out green vegetation pixels. Mineral groups, such as garnets and chlorites, often have wide ranges of CAI and LCA values, and thus, mineralogical analyses often do not identify individual mineral species required for precise CAI estimation. However, these methods are still useful for identifying mineral soils requiring additional scrutiny. Future advanced multi- and hyperspectral remote sensing platforms should include CAI bands to allow for crop residue cover estimation.     

基于GIS数据的植被实时虚拟可视化

针对大范围场景的植被实时虚拟可视化问题,提出一种在程序运行过程中实时生成各个体植被分布数据和属性数据的方法。该方法使用WangTiles和植被覆盖的地理信息系统数据。采用几何细节层次模型和基于纹理图像的方法对植被进行实时绘制。实验结果表明,该方法能在包含植被的大范围场景中取得较好的可视化效果,在场景漫游时可以保持交互的帧速率。     

利用色调—亮度彩色分量的可见光植被指数

目的 无人机遥感具有高时效、高分辨率、低成本、操作简单等优势。但由于无人机通常只携带可见光传感器,无法计算由可见光-近红外波段组合所构造的植被指数。为解决这一问题,提出一种归一化色调亮度植被指数NHLVI （normalized hue and lightness vegetation index）。方法 通过分析HSL （hue-saturation-lightness）彩色空间模型,构建一种基于色调亮度的植被指数,将该植被指数以及其他常用的可见光植被指数,如归一化绿红差值指数NGRDI （normalized green-red difference index）、过绿指数ExG （excess green）、超绿超红差分指数ExGR （excess green minus excess red）等,分别与野外实测光谱数据和无人机多光谱数据的NDVI （normalized difference vegetation index）进行相关性比较;利用受试者工作特征曲线ROC （receiver operating characteristic curve）的特点确定阈值,并进行植被信息提取与分析。结果 NHLVI与NDVI相关性高（R²=0.776 8）,而其他可见光植被指数中,NGRDI与NDVI相关性较高（R²=0.687 4）;ROC曲线下面积大小作为评价不同植被指数区分植被与非植被的指标,NHLVI指数在ROC曲线下面积为0.777,小于NDVI （0.815）,但大于NGRDI （0.681）,区分植被与非植被能力较强。为进一步验证其精度,利用阈值法提取植被,NHLVI提取植被信息的总体精度为82.25%,高于NGRDI （79.75%）,尤其在植被稀疏区,NHLVI的提取结果优于NGRDI。结论 提出的归一化色调亮度植被指数,提取植被精度较高,适用于无人机可见光影像植被信息提取,为无人机可见光影像的应用提供了新方法。