Characterization of shrubland ecosystem components as continuous fields in the northwest United States

REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT

卷:168

Article

Xian, George¹  Homer, Collin¹  Rigge, Matthew²  Shi, Hua²  Meyer, Debbie³ 

[1] US Geol Survey USGS, Earth Resources Observat & Sci Ctr, Sioux Falls, SD 57198 USA

[2] US Geol Survey USGS, Earth Resources Observat & Sci Ctr, InuTeq, Sioux Falls, SD 57198 USA

[3] SGT USGS, Earth Resources Observat & Sci Ctr, Sioux Falls, SD 57198 USA

关键词: Shrubland;    Ecosystems;    Landsat 8;    Image mosaic;    Climate;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.rse.2015.07.014

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Accurate and consistent estimates of shrubland ecosystem components are crucial to a better understanding of ecosystem conditions in arid and semiarid lands. An innovative approach was developed by integrating multiple sources of information to quantify shrubland components as continuous field products within the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). The approach consists of several procedures including field sample collections, high-resolution mapping of shrubland components using WorldView-2 imagery and regression tree models, Landsat 8 radiometric balancing and phenological mosaicking, medium resolution estimates of shrubland components following different climate zones using Landsat 8 phenological mosaics and regression tree models, and product validation. Fractional covers of nine shrubland components were estimated: annual herbaceous, bare ground, big sagebrush, herbaceous, litter, sagebrush, shrub, sagebrush height, and shrub height Our study area included the footprint of six Landsat 8 scenes in the northwestern United States. Results show that most components have relatively significant correlations with validation data, have small normalized root mean square errors, and correspond well with expected ecological gradients. While some uncertainties remain with height estimates, the model formulated in this study provides a cross-validated, unbiased, and cost effective approach to quantify shrubland components at a regional scale and advances knowledge of horizontal and vertical variability of these components. Published by Elsevier Inc.

【 授权许可】

Free