Mapping Spatial and Temporal Variations of Leaf Area Index for Winter Wheat in North China

Leaf area index （LAI） is an important parameter in a number of models related to ecosystem functioning, carbon budgets, climate, hydrology, and crop growth simulation. Mapping and monitoring the spatial and temporal variations of LAI are necessary for understanding crop growth and development at regional level. In this study, the relationships between LAI of winter wheat and Landsat TM spectral vegetation indices （SVIs） were analyzed by using the curve estimation procedure in North China Plain. The series of LAI maps retrieved by the best regression model were used to assess the spatial and temporal variations of winter wheat LAI. The results indicated that the general relationships between LAI and SVIs were curvilinear, and that the exponential model gave a better fit than the linear model or other nonlinear models for most SVIs. The best regression model was constructed using an exponential model between surface-reflectance-derived difference vegetation index （DVI） and LAI, with the adjusted R2 （0.82） and the RMSE （0.77）. The TM LAI maps retrieved from DVILAI model showed the significant spatial and temporal variations. The mean TM LAI value （30 m） for winter wheat of the study area increased from 1.29 （March 7, 2004） to 3.43 （April 8, 2004）, with standard deviations of 0.22 and 1.17, respectively. In conclusion, spectral vegetation indices from multi-temporal Landsat TM images can be used to produce fine-resolution LAI maps for winter wheat in North China Plain.

Monitoring Soil Salt Content Using HJ-1A Hyperspectral Data: A Case Study of Coastal Areas in Rudong County, Eastern China

Hyperspectral data are an important source for monitoring soil salt content on a large scale. However, in previous studies, barriers such as interference due to the presence of vegetation restricted the precision of mapping soil salt content. This study tested a new method for predicting soil salt content with improved precision by using Chinese hyperspectral data, Huan Jing-Hyper Spectral Imager(HJ-HSI), in the coastal area of Rudong County, Eastern China. The vegetation-covered area and coastal bare flat area were distinguished by using the normalized differential vegetation index at the band length of 705 nm(NDVI705). The soil salt content of each area was predicted by various algorithms. A Normal Soil Salt Content Response Index(NSSRI) was constructed from continuum-removed reflectance(CR-reflectance) at wavelengths of 908.95 nm and 687.41 nm to predict the soil salt content in the coastal bare flat area(NDVI705 < 0.2). The soil adjusted salinity index(SAVI) was applied to predict the soil salt content in the vegetation-covered area(NDVI705 ≥ 0.2). The results demonstrate that 1) the new method significantly improves the accuracy of soil salt content mapping(R2 = 0.6396, RMSE = 0.3591), and 2) HJ-HSI data can be used to map soil salt content precisely and are suitable for monitoring soil salt content on a large scale.

Near-infrared leaf reflectance modeling of Annona emarginata seedlings for early detection of variations in nitrogen concentration

Nitrogen(N)monitoring is essential in nurseries to ensure the production of high-quality seedlings.Nearinfrared spectroscopy(NIRS)is an instantaneous,nondestructive method to monitor N.Spectral data such as NIRS can also provide the basis for developing a new vegetation spectral index(VSI).Here,we evaluated whether NIRS combined with statistical modeling can accurately detect early variations in N concentration in leaves of young plants of Annona emargiaata and developed a new VSI for this task.Plants were grown in a hydroponics system with 0,2.75,5.5or 11 mM N for 45 days.Then we measured gas exchange,chlorophylla fluorescence,and pigments in leaves;analyzed complete leaf nutrients,and recorded spectral data for leaves at 966 to 1685 nm using NIRS.With a statistical learning approach,the dimensionality of the spectral data was reduced,then models were generated using two classes(N deficiency,N)or four classes(0,2.75,5.5,11 mM N).The best combination of techniques for dimensionality reduction and classification,respectively,was stepwise regression(PROC STEPDISC)and linear discriminant function.It was possible to detect N deficiency in seedlings leaves with 100%precision,and the four N concentrations with93.55%accuracy before photosynthetic damage to the plant occurred.Thereby,NIRS combined with statistical modeling of multidimensional data is effective for detecting N variations in seedlings leaves of A.emarginata.

Comparing leaf area index estimates in a Mediterranean forest using field measurements, Landsat 8, and Sentinel-2 data

Background Leaf area index(LAI)is a key indicator for the assessment of the canopy’s processes such as net primary production and evapotranspiration.For this reason,the LAI is often used as a key input parameter in ecosystem services’modeling,which is emerging as a critical tool for steering upcoming urban reforestation strategies.However,LAI field measures are extremely time-consuming and require remarkable economic and human resources.In this context,spectral indices computed using high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery like Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8,may represent a feasible and economic solution for estimating the LAI at the city scale.Nonetheless,as far as we know,only a few studies have assessed the potential of Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 data doing so in Mediterranean forest ecosystems.To fill such a gap,we assessed the performance of 10 spectral indices derived from Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 data in estimating the LAI,using field measurements collected with the LI-COR LAI 2200c as a reference.We hypothesized that Sentinel-2 data,owing to their finer spatial and spectral resolution,perform better in estimating vegetation’s structural parameters compared to Landsat 8.Results We found that Landsat 8-derived models have,on average,a slightly better performance,with the best model(the one based on NDVI)showing an R^(2) of 0.55 and NRMSE of 14.74%,compared to R^(2) of 0.52 and NRMSE of 15.15%showed by the best Sentinel-2 model,which is based on the NBR.All models were affected by spectrum saturation for high LAI values(e.g.,above 5).Conclusion In Mediterranean ecosystems,Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 data produce moderately accurate LAI estimates during the peak of the growing season.Therefore,the uncertainty introduced using satellite-derived LAI in ecosystem services’assessments should be systematically accounted for.

Towards long-multitemporal change detection using SVI differencing by integrated DWT
ISOCLUS: a model for forest temporal dynamics mapping

Characterisation and mapping of land cover/land use within forest areas over long-multitemporal intervals is a complex task.This complexity is mainly due to the location and extent of such areas and,as a consequence,to the lack of full continuous cloud-free coverage of those large regions by one single remote sensing instrument.In order to provide improved long-multitemporal forest change detection using Landsat MSS and ETMin part of Mt.Kenya rainforest,and to develop a model for forest change monitoring,wavelet transforms analysis was tested against the ISOCLUS algorithm for the derivation of changes in natural forest cover,as determined using four simple ratio-based Vegetation Indices:Simple Ratio(SR),Normalised Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI),Renormalised Difference Vegetation Index(RDVI)and modified simple ratio(MSR).Based on statistical and empirical accuracy assessments,RDVI presented the optimal index for the case study.The overall accuracy statistic of the wavelet derived change/no-change was used to rank the performances of the indices as:RDVI(91.68%),MSR(82.55%),NDVI(79.73%)and SR(65.34%).The integrated discrete wavelet transform
ISOCLUS(DWT
ISOCLUS)result was 42.65%higher than the independent ISOCLUS approach in mapping the change/no-change information.The methodology suggested in this study presents a cost-effective and practical method to detect land-cover changes in support of decision-making for updating forest databases,and for long-term monitoring of vegetation changes from multisensor imagery.The current research contributes to Digital Earth with regards to geo-data acquisition,data mining and representation of one forest systems.