Remote sensing of species mixtures in conifer plantations using LiDAR height and intensity data

In even-aged, single species conifer plantations LiDAR height data can be modelled to provide accurate estimates of tree height and volume. However, it is apparent that growth models developed for single species stands are not directly transferable to a more general situation of mixed species plantations. This paper evaluates the ability of small footprint, dual-return, pulsed airborne LiDAR data to estimate the proportion of the productive species when mixed with a nurse crop in closed canopy plantations. A study area located in Galloway Forest District in Scotland is used as an example of Lodgepole pine and Sitka spruce mixed plantation; this area contains good examples of a wide range of pure and mixed species plantation types. Three species groups are studied: areas of pure Sitka spruce, areas of pure Lodgepole pine and areas where the two species have been planted together. Two approaches are assessed for detection of plantation mixtures: the first uses LiDAR intensity data to separate spruce and pine species and the second uses LiDAR-derived canopy density measures, coefficient of variation, skewness, percent of ground returns (which provides a measure of canopy openness) and the mean canopy height, which enables areas with height variations to be identified. From analysis of LiDAR data extracted from 54 study plots using logistic regression, the coefficient of variation and LiDAR intensity data provide the most useful predictors of the proportion of spruce in a pine/spruce mixture with coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.914 and 0.930 respectively. The method could be developed as a mapping tool, which in combination with existing inventory data should help to improve timber volume forecasting for mixed species even-aged plantations.     

计算机在林业制图中的应用探究

随着生态文明的发展,人们对森林资源的数据要求也越来越高,相关数据要根据实际森林资源的变化而变化,即“图面、账面、实地三者一致”。但是传统林业制图采取的是手工绘制的方法,无论是时效性还是准确性,都无法满足人们对森林资源数据越来越高的要求。而计算机技术的迅猛发展必将带动林业制图的一场革命。本文就针对林业制图过程中计算机技术的应用展开讨论。     

基于三维虚拟样机技术大型林业装备设计与研究

针对我国林业机械研制的落后现状,以国家科技支撑项目为例,以SolidWorks软件为平台设计我国首台林木联合采伐机底盘,论述了采用现代三维虚拟技术进行大型林业装备设计的开发过程,重点说明了采用这一技术加快我国林业装备研制步伐,提高了林业机械产品的设计效率,增强了企业市场竞争力的重要现实意义。     

农林高校电气类专业教学改革与思政探索

在以德为先的教育背景下,高校意识形态问题是人才培养的关键。如何将课程思政的思想以专业知识为载体巧妙渗透到课堂中,是未来高等教育需要思考的重要问题。本文基于农林高校电气类专业实际情况,深入挖掘具有思政元素且特色鲜明的电气专业教学体系,提出面向“三农需求”的“一主线、四段式、八深入”课程体系改革融入构架,并给出以“林区新能源发电技术”为例的课程思政改革方案实例。     

The role of spectral resolution and classifier complexity in the analysis of hyperspectral images of forest areas

Remote sensing hyperspectral sensors are important and powerful instruments for addressing classification problems in complex forest scenarios, as they allow one a detailed characterization of the spectral behavior of the considered information classes. However, the processing of hyperspectral data is particularly complex both from a theoretical viewpoint [e.g. problems related to the Hughes phenomenon (Hughes, 1968) and from a computational perspective. Despite many previous investigations that have been presented in the literature on feature reduction and feature extraction in hyperspectral data, only a few studies have analyzed the role of spectral resolution on the classification accuracy in different application domains. In this paper, we present an empirical study aimed at understanding the relationship among spectral resolution, classifier complexity, and classification accuracy obtained with hyperspectral sensors for the classification of forest areas. We considered two different test sets characterized by images acquired by an AISA Eagle sensor over 126 bands with a spectral resolution of 4.6 nm, and we subsequently degraded its spectral resolution to 9.2, 13.8, 18.4, 23, 27.6, 32.2 and 36.8 nm. A series of classification experiments were carried out with bands at each of the degraded spectral resolutions, and bands selected with a feature selection algorithm at the highest spectral resolution (4.6 nm). The classification experiments were carried out with three different classifiers: Support Vector Machine, Gaussian Maximum Likelihood with Leave-One-Out-Covariance estimator, and Linear Discriminant Analysis. From the experimental results, important conclusions can be made about the choice of the spectral resolution of hyperspectral sensors as applied to forest areas, also in relation to the complexity of the adopted classification methodology. The outcome of these experiments are also applicable in terms of directing the user towards a more efficient use of the current instruments (e.g. programming of the spectral channels to be acquired) and classification techniques in forest applications, as well as in the design of future hyperspectral sensors.     

Large-scale mapping of boreal forest in SIBERIA using ERS tandem coherence and JERS backscatter data

Siberia's boreal forests represent an economically and ecologically precious resource, a significant part of which is not monitored on a regular basis. Synthetic aperture radars (SARs), with their sensitivity to forest biomass, offer mapping capabilities that could provide valuable up-to-date information, for example about fire damage or logging activity. The European Commission SIBERIA project had the aim of mapping an area of approximately 1 million km² in Siberia using SAR data from two satellite sources: the tandem mission of the European Remote Sensing Satellites ERS-1/2 and the Japanese Earth Resource Satellite JERS-1. Mosaics of ERS tandem interferometric coherence and JERS backscattering coefficient show the wealth of information contained in these data but they also show large differences in radar response between neighbouring images. To create one homogeneous forest map, adaptive methods which are able to account for brightness changes due to environmental effects were required. In this paper an adaptive empirical model to determine growing stock volume classes using the ERS tandem coherence and the JERS backscatter data is described. For growing stock volume classes up to 80 m³/ha, accuracies of over 80% are achieved for over a hundred ERS frames at a spatial resolution of 50 m.     

A heuristic to solve the synchronized log-truck scheduling problem

We present a synchronized routing and scheduling problem that arises in the forest industry, as a variation of the log-truck scheduling problem. It combines routing and scheduling of trucks with specific constraints related to the Canadian forestry context. This problem includes aspects such as pick-up and delivery, multiple products, inventory stock, multiple supply points and multiple demand points. We developed a decomposition approach to solve the weekly problem in two phases. In the first phase we use a MIP solver to solve a tactical model that determines the destinations of full truckloads from forest areas to woodmills. In the second phase, we make use of two different methods to route and schedule the daily transportation of logs: the first one consists in using a constraint-based local search approach while the second one is a hybrid approach involving a constraint programming based model and a constraint-based local search model. These approaches have been implemented using COMET2.0. The method, was tested on two industrial cases from forest companies in Canada.     

Batch adsorption of organic pollutants from oxidation pond effluents using fly ashes

The batch shaking adsorption study was conducted to determine the potential of fly and volcanic ashes in removing organic pollutants from oxidation pond effluents. Factors affecting organic pollutant removals, such as concentrations and sizes of fly and volcanic ashes, initial pond effluent organic concentrations, washed and unwashed conditions of fly and volcanic ashes, were investigated. The TOC (total organic carbon) removal efficiency varied from 30 to 58 percent. The organic removal efficiency increased with increasing ash concentrations, with decreasing initial pond effluent organic concentrations and with decreasing sizes of ashes.     

Climate change: the views of forestry students in a Greek university

The trend to global warming is one of the most important problems of our time. This paper reports the findings of self‐management questionnaires, in regard to views held on the issue of climate change by the students of the Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources of the Democritus University of Thrace.     

生态城市本质新思考和战略发展方向探讨

现有“生态城市”理念具有理想化色彩,其建设存在明显现实差距。“生态城市”本质应是能量资源节用低耗再生创造、环境生态去污自净循环更新、城市的自然化生态与生态化的现代人居城市有机融合;而经济、社会、人文、地理、气候、环境、资源一定程度的和谐是生态城市构建的基础前提条件和良性反馈对象。利用城市优越的光热水气土肥“人化气候”资源,集约化“稼禾式”经营城市高效生态植被,构建“新森林城市”或城市型森林气候的良性生态系统,是生态城市的现实实现路径,具有重大战略意义。