Evaluation of Skylab (EREP) data for forest and rangeland surveys

The author has identified the following significant results. Four widely separated sites (near Augusta, Georgia; Lead, South Dakota; Manitou, Colorado; and Redding, California) were selected as typical sites for forest inventory, forest stress, rangeland inventory, and atmospheric and solar measurements, respectively. Results indicated that Skylab S190B color photography is good for classification of Level 1 forest and nonforest land (90 to 95 percent correct) and could be used as a data base for sampling by small and medium scale photography using regression techniques. The accuracy of Level 2 forest and nonforest classes, however, varied from fair to poor. Results of plant community classification tests indicate that both visual and microdensitometric techniques can separate deciduous, conifirous, and grassland classes to the region level in the Ecoclass hierarchical classification system. There was no consistency in classifying tree categories at the series level by visual photointerpretation. The relationship between ground measurements and large scale photo measurements of foliar cover had a correlation coefficient of greater than 0.75. Some of the relationships, however, were site dependent

Assessing the role of EO in biodiversity monitoring: options for integrating in-situ observations with EO within the context of the EBONE concept

The European Biodiversity Observation Network (EBONE) is a European contribution on terrestrial monitoring to GEO BON, the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network. EBONE’s aims are to develop a system of biodiversity observation at regional, national and European levels by assessing existing approaches in terms of their validity and applicability starting in Europe, then expanding to regions in Africa. The objective of EBONE is to deliver: 1. A sound scientific basis for the production of statistical estimates of stock and change of key indicators; 2. The development of a system for estimating past changes and forecasting and testing policy options and management strategies for threatened ecosystems and species; 3. A proposal for a cost-effective biodiversity monitoring system. There is a consensus that Earth Observation (EO) has a role to play in monitoring biodiversity. With its capacity to observe detailed spatial patterns and variability across large areas at regular intervals, our instinct suggests that EO could deliver the type of spatial and temporal coverage that is beyond reach with in-situ efforts. Furthermore, when considering the emerging networks of in-situ observations, the prospect of enhancing the quality of the information whilst reducing cost through integration is compelling. This report gives a realistic assessment of the role of EO in biodiversity monitoring and the options for integrating in-situ observations with EO within the context of the EBONE concept (cfr. EBONE-ID1.4). The assessment is mainly based on a set of targeted pilot studies. Building on this assessment, the report then presents a series of recommendations on the best options for using EO in an effective, consistent and sustainable biodiversity monitoring scheme. The issues that we faced were many: 1. Integration can be interpreted in different ways. One possible interpretation is: the combined use of independent data sets to deliver a different but improved data set; another is: the use of one data set to complement another dataset. 2. The targeted improvement will vary with stakeholder group: some will seek for more efficiency, others for more reliable estimates (accuracy and/or precision); others for more detail in space and/or time or more of everything. 3. Integration requires a link between the datasets (EO and in-situ). The strength of the link between reflected electromagnetic radiation and the habitats and their biodiversity observed in-situ is function of many variables, for example: the spatial scale of the observations; timing of the observations; the adopted nomenclature for classification; the complexity of the landscape in terms of composition, spatial structure and the physical environment; the habitat and land cover types under consideration. 4. The type of the EO data available varies (function of e.g. budget, size and location of region, cloudiness, national and/or international investment in airborne campaigns or space technology) which determines its capability to deliver the required output. EO and in-situ could be combined in different ways, depending on the type of integration we wanted to achieve and the targeted improvement. We aimed for an improvement in accuracy (i.e. the reduction in error of our indicator estimate calculated for an environmental zone). Furthermore, EO would also provide the spatial patterns for correlated in-situ data. EBONE in its initial development, focused on three main indicators covering: (i) the extent and change of habitats of European interest in the context of a general habitat assessment; (ii) abundance and distribution of selected species (birds, butterflies and plants); and (iii) fragmentation of natural and semi-natural areas. For habitat extent, we decided that it did not matter how in-situ was integrated with EO as long as we could demonstrate that acceptable accuracies could be achieved and the precision could consistently be improved. The nomenclature used to map habitats in-situ was the General Habitat Classification. We considered the following options where the EO and in-situ play different roles: using in-situ samples to re-calibrate a habitat map independently derived from EO; improving the accuracy of in-situ sampled habitat statistics, by post-stratification with correlated EO data; and using in-situ samples to train the classification of EO data into habitat types where the EO data delivers full coverage or a larger number of samples. For some of the above cases we also considered the impact that the sampling strategy employed to deliver the samples would have on the accuracy and precision achieved. Restricted access to European wide species data prevented work on the indicator ‘abundance and distribution of species’. With respect to the indicator ‘fragmentation’, we investigated ways of delivering EO derived measures of habitat patterns that are meaningful to sampled in-situ observations

Applications of ISES for vegetation and land use

Remote sensing relative to applications involving vegetation cover and land use is reviewed to consider the potential benefits to the Earth Observing System (Eos) of a proposed Information Sciences Experiment System (ISES). The ISES concept has been proposed as an onboard experiment and computational resource to support advanced experiments and demonstrations in the information and earth sciences. Embedded in the concept is potential for relieving the data glut problem, enhancing capabilities to meet real-time needs of data users and in-situ researchers, and introducing emerging technology to Eos as the technology matures. These potential benefits are examined in the context of state-of-the-art research activities in image/data processing and management

Quarterly literature review of the remote sensing of natural resources

The Technology Application Center reviewed abstracted literature sources, and selected document data and data gathering techniques which were performed or obtained remotely from space, aircraft or groundbased stations. All of the documentation was related to remote sensing sensors or the remote sensing of the natural resources. Sensors were primarily those operating within the 10 to the minus 8 power to 1 meter wavelength band. Included are NASA Tech Briefs, ARAC Industrial Applications Reports, U.S. Navy Technical Reports, U.S. Patent reports, and other technical articles and reports

Rainfall interception by two deciduous Mediterranean forests of contrasting stature in Slovenia

Measurements of precipitation above the canopy, throughfall and stemflow were\ud made on the south and north-facing slopes of a deciduous forest on the experimental\ud watershed of the Dragonja river in SW Slovenia. The Dragonja watershed was\ud chosen for the experimental watershed, being of interest because of intensive natural\ud reforestation in the last decades that caused a decrease in minimum and maximum\ud flows. At the same time no noticeable precipitation and temperature changes were\ud observed. Two forest plots were selected. One is located on the north-facing slope\ud (1419 m2) and the other on the south-facing slope (615 m2). Analyses and modelling\ud were made for a one-year period from October 2000 to September 2001. The leaf\ud area index (LAI) was estimated by three methods, one direct and two indirect ones.\ud The obtained values of LAI with the direct method were 6.6 and 6.9 for the south and\ud north slopes, respectively. Measurements and regression analyses gave the mean\ud annual throughfall value (± standard error) on the south plot 67.1 (± 9.6) % of gross\ud precipitation, and 71.5 (± 11.6) % on the north plot. The average stemflow values\ud were 4.5 (± 0.8) % of gross precipitation in the south plot and 2.9 (± 0.6) % in the\ud north plot. The average annual interception losses amount to 28.4 (± 4.1) and 25.4 (±\ud 4.0) % for the south and north slopes, respectively. In the study a significant influence\ud of the south-east wind was proven. With regression analyses and the classification\ud decision tree model it was established that at the events with more than 7 mm of\ud precipitation and south-east wind with a speed higher than 4 m/s an unusually low\ud amount of throughfall occurred and thus high interception losses. The analytical\ud Gash model of rainfall interception (Gash, 1979; Gash et al., 1995) was successfully\ud applied. The results of the modelling corresponded well to the observed values and\ud were within the limits of the standard error of the observed values

Second-year projects and activities of the Environmental Remote Sensing Applications Laboratory (ERSAL)

The activities and projects of ERSAL are reported

An Overview of Remote Sensing in Russian Forestry

The Russian Federation possesses vast forested areas, containing about 23% of the world's closed forests. A significant part of these forestlands is neither managed nor regularly monitored. This is due in part to the absence of developed infrastructure in the remote northern regions, which hampers the collection of data on forest inventory and monitoring in all areas by precise and expensive on-ground methods. As a result, the monitoring in all areas by precise and expensive on-ground methods. As a result, the former Soviet Union conducted intensive research on remote sensing during the last few decades, resulting in significant achievements. However, there has been a noticeable decline in remote sensing research and applications in the Russian forest sector from 1990-1998. Russia needs a new system of forest inventory and monitoring capable of providing reliable, practical information for sustainable forest management. Such a system should take into account current national demands on the Russian forest sector as well as the international obligations of the country. Remote sensing methods are an indispensable part of such a system. These methods will play a crucial role in critical applications such as ensuring the sustainability of forest management, protecting threatened forests, fulfilling the countrys Kyoto Protocol obligations, and others. This paper presents an overview of past and current remote sensing methods in the Russian forest sector, including both practical and scientific applications. Based on this overview, relevant applications of remote sensing methods in the Russian forest sector are discussed. This discussion considers current Russian economic conditions and the direction of political and social development of the country

Third ERTS Symposium: Abstracts

Abstracts are provided for the 112 papers presented at the Earth Resources Program Symposium held at Washington, D.C., 10-14 December, 1973