Background:Efficient and safe movement is fundamental for wild birds to thrive in their environments.For arboreal forest animals,especially birds,canopy cover has a large impact on birds’daily movements and is a cruc...Background:Efficient and safe movement is fundamental for wild birds to thrive in their environments.For arboreal forest animals,especially birds,canopy cover has a large impact on birds’daily movements and is a crucial component of conservation strategies seeking to retain avian population in disturbed or urban habitats.Methods:We translocated woodland bird species utilizing different forest strata during two non-breeding seasons in Gainesville,FL,USA.We used linear model and generalized linear model to examine the effects of canopy cover and species identity on homing success and speed.Results:Among our study species of Tufted Titmouse(Baeolophus bicolor),Carolina Chickadee(Poecile carolinensis),and Northern Cardinal(Cardinalis cardinalis),we found that Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice were more likely to return than Northern Cardinals.Among birds that successfully returned,homing speed is significantly affected by forest canopy cover and species identity(titmice had higher homing speed than cardinals).Birds return much faster in landscape with higher canopy cover.Conclusions:This study presented evidence of species identity’s effect on homing success and speed in common feeder bird species in Southeast US and provided further evidence that bird movements in the suburban land cover are constrained by low canopy cover.展开更多
The potential effect of canopy cover on the quality of River Offin which serves as drinking water for communities including Hwediem, Mprim and Boanim in the Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti region of Ghana was stud...The potential effect of canopy cover on the quality of River Offin which serves as drinking water for communities including Hwediem, Mprim and Boanim in the Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti region of Ghana was studied. These communities exemplify Ghanaian farming communities. Often, rural farmers do not have access to clean water. Using the part of the river serving these communities as a test case, we assessed the quality of water along a gradient of three different levels of canopy cover (closed, semi-closed and open canopy) where residents frequently access water. Physico-chemical tests showed that, the level of most of the physical and chemical properties of the water under all three different canopy covers was within the acceptable limits set by the World Health Organization. There was low turbidity where the canopy was closed resulting in relatively lower faecal coliforms. Total dissolved solids were also less where canopy cover was closed. Therefore, the general water quality could be potentially improved by planting trees along the river to form canopy.展开更多
Accurate and rapid estimation of canopy cover(CC)is crucial for many ecological and environmental models and for forest management.Unmanned aerial vehicle-light detecting and ranging(UAV-LiDAR)systems represent a prom...Accurate and rapid estimation of canopy cover(CC)is crucial for many ecological and environmental models and for forest management.Unmanned aerial vehicle-light detecting and ranging(UAV-LiDAR)systems represent a promising tool for CC estimation due to their high mobility,low cost,and high point density.However,the CC values from UAV-LiDAR point clouds may be underestimated due to the presence of large quantities of within-crown gaps.To alleviate the negative effects of within-crown gaps,we proposed a pit-free CHM-based method for estimating CC,in which a cloth simulation method was used to fill the within-crown gaps.To evaluate the effect of CC values and withincrown gap proportions on the proposed method,the performance of the proposed method was tested on 18 samples with different CC values(40−70%)and 6 samples with different within-crown gap proportions(10−60%).The results showed that the CC accuracy of the proposed method was higher than that of the method without filling within-crown gaps(R^(2)=0.99 vs 0.98;RMSE=1.49%vs 2.2%).The proposed method was insensitive to within-crown gap proportions,although the CC accuracy decreased slightly with the increase in withincrown gap proportions.展开更多
Unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging(UAV–LiDAR)is a new method for collecting understory terrain data.The high estimation accuracy of understory terrain is crucial for accurate tree height measurement ...Unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging(UAV–LiDAR)is a new method for collecting understory terrain data.The high estimation accuracy of understory terrain is crucial for accurate tree height measurement and forest resource surveys.The UAV–LiDAR flight altitude and forest canopy cover significantly impact the accuracy of understory terrain estimation.However,since no research examined their combined effects,we aimed to investigate this relationship.This will help optimize UAV–LiDAR flight parameters for understory terrain estimation and forest surveys across various canopy cover.This study analyzed the impacts of three flight altitudes and three canopy cover on the estimation accuracy of understory terrain.The results showed that when canopy cover exceeded a specific value,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation.Given a forest canopy cover,the reduction in ground point coverage increased significantly as the flight altitude increased;given a flight altitude,the higher the canopy cover,the more significant the reduction in ground point coverage.In forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,there were substantial differences in the accuracies of understory digital elevation models(DEMs)generated using UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes.For forests with a canopy cover<0.9,the mean absolute error(MAE)of understory DEMs from UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes was≤0.17 m and the root mean square error(RMSE)was≤0.24 m.However,for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,the UAV–LiDAR flight altitude significantly affected the accuracy of understory DEMs.At the same flight altitude,the MAE and RMSE of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9 were approximately twice those of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover<0.9.In forests with low canopy cover,it is possible to improve data collection efficiency by selecting a higher flight altitude.However,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation in forests with high canopy cover,it is essential to adopt terrain-following flight modes,reduce flight altitudes,and maintain a consistent flight altitude during longterm monitoring in high canopy cover forests.展开更多
Invasive species are increasingly spreading,particularly in rangeland ecosystems.It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods for controlling invasive plants in these ecosystems.This study aimed ...Invasive species are increasingly spreading,particularly in rangeland ecosystems.It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods for controlling invasive plants in these ecosystems.This study aimed to investigate the effects of three strategies-21-year grazing exclusion(21-YES),mowing-grazing in rotation in alternate years(MGRS),and moderate grazing(MGS)-on the change in cover,density,and biomass of Leucanthemum vulgare Lam.(Ox-eye Daisy=OED)and the plant community.To accomplish this,three sites selected for each treatment.In 2021,270 vegetation plots were sampled using a random systematic method.Subsequently,we recorded the density and canopy cover of all growth forms(forbs,grasses,and ferns),the OED biomass,and the ground cover.The results indicated that MGS reduced OED density,OED canopy,and OED biomass.Furthermore,this strategy demonstrated the highest density and canopy cover of the plant community(including total,forbs,grasses,and ferns).Additionally,the strongest correlation was observed between the total canopy and the OED density(R2=-0.91,-0.95,-0.94 in 21-YES,MGRS,and MGS,respectively),as well as between the total canopy and the OED canopy(R2=-0.51,-0.98,-0.97 in 21-YES,MGRS,and MGS,respectively).The MGS led to an increase in diversity indices.In general,the grazing strategy has proven to be effective in controlling the spread of invasive OED and has also resulted in an increase in canopy cover,density,and diversity indices of the plant community.The study highlights the importance of ongoing management efforts to control invasive species,with moderate grazing potentially serving as a more practical,culturally accepted,and costeffective short-term control strategy for widespread rangeland weed infestations.展开更多
The species richness of herb layer was investigated among 43 plots of forest vegetation in the eastern Zhongtiao Mountain, in southern Shanxi Province, China. The forest vegetation was divided into two major vegetatio...The species richness of herb layer was investigated among 43 plots of forest vegetation in the eastern Zhongtiao Mountain, in southern Shanxi Province, China. The forest vegetation was divided into two major vegetation types such as the deciduous forest and the coniferous forest by the two-way indicator species analysis （TWINSPAN）. The species richness of herb layer was fitted in the topographic and soil feature factors, as well as the topographic relative moisture index （TRMI） by the generalized linear models （GLM）. The results showed that canopy cover and altitude were the most significant environmental factors. Soil pH value and soil nutrients index such as total N, organic matter content had no significant influence. The effect of environment factors on species richness of herb layer had significant difference in vegetation types. For the broad-leaved forest, litter depth and TRMI were the important environment factors. For the coniferous forest, soil clay content was another important environment factor. The range of environmental gradient such as altitude may contribute to the difference.展开更多
A study was conducted to examine the germination requirements of Cedrela odorata, Guaiacum sanctum and Calycophyllum candidissimum seeds, and the effect of light intensity on survival and growth of C. odorata and G. s...A study was conducted to examine the germination requirements of Cedrela odorata, Guaiacum sanctum and Calycophyllum candidissimum seeds, and the effect of light intensity on survival and growth of C. odorata and G. sanctum seedlings planted on open, partially-open and beneath the canopy of a dry forest in Nicaragua. The results show that germination of C. candidissimum seeds was signifi- cantly higher in light than darkness at constant temperatures ranging from 20-35℃. Both C. odorata and G. sanctum seeds germinated in light and darkness to a varying extent, and the optimal germination temperature was around 20-25℃. Alternating temperature regimes did not improve germination. Survival of G. sanctum seedlings was 70% beneath the canopy and 80% in the open, and its relative growth rate in collar diameter was 1.88 mm/month in the open and 1.42 mm/month in the understory. Survival was generally poor for C. odorata, particularly in the understory. We concluded that light is an absolute requirement for the germination of C. candidissimum seeds while germination of C. odorata and G. sanctum seeds are more sensitive to temperature. Owing to its high survival rate on open site, G. sanctum could serve as a candidate species for reforestation of degraded sites.展开更多
Hindu Kush Himalaya(HKH) is the largest and the most diverse mountain region in the world that provides ecosystem services to one fifth of the total world population. The forests are fragmented to different degrees du...Hindu Kush Himalaya(HKH) is the largest and the most diverse mountain region in the world that provides ecosystem services to one fifth of the total world population. The forests are fragmented to different degrees due to expansion and intensification of human land use. However, the quantitative relationship between fragmentation and demography has not been established before for HKH vis-à-vis along elevation gradient. We used the globally available tree canopy cover data derived from Landsat-TM satellite to find out the decadal forest cover change over 2000 to 2010 and their corresponding fragmentation levels. Using SRTMderived DEM, we observed high forest cover loss up to2400 m that highly corroborated with the population distribution pattern as derived from satellite observation. In general, forest cover loss was found to be higher in south-eastern part of HKH. Forest fragmentation obtained using ‘area-weighted mean radius of gyration' as indicator, was found to be very high up to 2400 m that also corroborated with high human population for the year 2000 and 2010. We observed logarithmic decrease in fragmentation change(area-weighted mean radius of gyration value),forest cover loss and population growth during 2000-2010 along the elevation gradient with very high R^2 values(i.e., 0.889, 0.895, 0.944 respectively). Our finding on the pattern of forest fragmentation and human population across the elevation gradient in HKH region will have policy level implication for different nations and would help in characterizing hotspots of change. Availability of free satellite derived data products on forest cover and DEM, griddata on demography, and utility of geospatial tools helped in quick evaluation of the forest fragmentation vis-a-vis human impact pattern along the elevation gradient in HKH.展开更多
Remote sensing is an important tool for studying and modeling forest stands.Vegetation indices obtained from Landsat-8 remotely sensed data were used to estimate the forest parameters in the western mountains of Iran....Remote sensing is an important tool for studying and modeling forest stands.Vegetation indices obtained from Landsat-8 remotely sensed data were used to estimate the forest parameters in the western mountains of Iran.Thirtyfour sample points were selected on the map of Bayangan County,Kermanshah province,Iran.At each point,a cluster of five rectangular plots of 8100 m2 and 200 m apart was established.Some clusters were primarily sampled to determine the variance of the forest parameters.The coefficient of variation was used as a criterion for sample allocation.Stand density,canopy cover and basal area per hectare were calculated for each plot.Vegetation indices were extracted fromthe Landsat-8 images for each plot.Simple linear and nonlinear regressions were conducted to develop the models.The models were validated using an independent data set.Stability of model parameters was statistically evaluated.The results showed that Normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)and Transformed normalized difference vegetation index(TNDVI)followed by Simple ratio vegetation index(SRVI)were the best predictors,explaining up to 91%of the variations with high precision.For NDVI,Soil adjusted vegetation index 2(SAVI2)and SRVI,the cubic model was more appropriate than the linear model for predicting the forest parameters.For this model,the R-square value increased while NRMSE decreased significantly.For Infrared percentage vegetation index(IPVI),the quadratic model was better,but,for other vegetation indices,nonlinear models were not superior to linear ones.Finally,it can be concluded that Landsat-8 imagery is suitable for predicting forest parameters in the oak forests of western Iran.Of course,large plots must be selected,and pre-classification is necessary to gain accurate and precise estimations.展开更多
A study was conducted to examine the germination requirements of Cedrela odorata, Guaiacum sanctum and Calycophyllum candidissimum seeds, and the effect of light intensity on survival and growth of C.odorata and G.san...A study was conducted to examine the germination requirements of Cedrela odorata, Guaiacum sanctum and Calycophyllum candidissimum seeds, and the effect of light intensity on survival and growth of C.odorata and G.sanctum seedlings planted on open, partially-open and beneath the canopy of a dry forest in Nicaragua.The results show that germination of C.candidissimum seeds was significantly higher in light than darkness at constant temperatures ranging from 20-35oC.Both C.odorata and G.sanctum seeds germinated in light and darkness to a varying extent, and the optimal germination temperature was around 20-25oC.Alternating temperature regimes did not improve germination.Survival of G.sanctum seedlings was 70% beneath the canopy and 80% in the open, and its relative growth rate in collar diameter was 1.88 mm/month in the open and 1.42 mm/month in the understory.Survival was generally poor for C.odorata, particularly in the understory.We concluded that light is an absolute requirement for the germination of C.candidissimum seeds while germination of C.odorata and G.sanctum seeds are more sensitive to temperature.Owing to its high survival rate on open site, G.sanctum could serve as a candidate species for reforestation of degraded sites.展开更多
Intercropping has benefited the global agricultural sector in several ways.It is a critical farming practice for long-term productivity,agro-ecological improvement,land management and land use.It is a well-known metho...Intercropping has benefited the global agricultural sector in several ways.It is a critical farming practice for long-term productivity,agro-ecological improvement,land management and land use.It is a well-known method to increase soil health and crop productivity.Mixtures of cereals and legumes are used extensively for forage production.Mix between maize(Zea mays)and soya bean(Glycine max L.)was used to investigate intercropping effect on moisture and temperature of soil related to yield of maize.The experiment was carried out with randomized complete block design with four replications.The results showed that intercropping systems had non-significant effect on yield of maize.But it affected soil conditions especially between plant;and reduced soil temperature rang about 0.3-8℃ affected by treatment of soya bean sowing methods(W2)for both seasons.The percentage of soil moisture content was increased about 1%-18%in treatment W2.It was because of increase of percentage of canopy cover fraction by soya bean covered,the conditions area of maize was adapted to give chance for increased irrigation intervals of maize without making stress.展开更多
Accurate data acquisition and analysis to obtain crop canopy information are critical steps to understand plant growth dynamics and to assess the potential impacts of biotic or abiotic stresses on plant development.A ...Accurate data acquisition and analysis to obtain crop canopy information are critical steps to understand plant growth dynamics and to assess the potential impacts of biotic or abiotic stresses on plant development.A versatile and easy to use monitoring system will allow researchers and growers to improve the follow-up management strategies within farms once potential problems have been detected.This study reviewed existing remote sensing platforms and relevant information applied to crops and specifically grapevines to equip a simple Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)using a visible high definition RGB camera.The objective of the proposed Unmanned Aerial System(UAS)was to implement a Digital Surface Model(DSM)in order to obtain accurate information about the affected or missing grapevines that can be attributed to potential biotic or abiotic stress effects.The analysis process started with a three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction from the RGB images collected from grapevines using the UAS and the Structure from Motion(SfM)technique to obtain the DSM applied on a per-plant basis.Then,the DSM was expressed as greyscale images according to the halftone technique to finally extract the information of affected and missing grapevines using computer vision algorithms based on canopy cover measurement and classification.To validate the automated method proposed,each grapevine row was visually inspected within the study area.The inspection was then compared to the digital assessment using the proposed UAS in order to validate calculations of affected and missing grapevines for the whole studied vineyard.Results showed that the percentage of affected and missing grapevines was 9.5%and 7.3%,respectively from the area studied.Therefore,for this specific study,the abiotic stress that affected the experimental vineyard(frost)impacted a total of 16.8%of plants.This study provided a new method for automatically surveying affected or missing grapevines in the field and an evaluation tool for plant growth conditions,which can be implemented for other uses such as canopy management,irrigation scheduling and other precision agricultural applications.展开更多
This paper presents a survey of image processing techniques proposed in the literature forextracting key cereal crop growth metrics from high spatial resolution, typically proximalimages. The descriptive crop growth m...This paper presents a survey of image processing techniques proposed in the literature forextracting key cereal crop growth metrics from high spatial resolution, typically proximalimages. The descriptive crop growth metrics considered are: crop canopy cover, aboveground biomass, leaf area index (including green area index), chlorophyll content, andgrowth stage. The paper includes an overview of relevant fundamental image processingtechniques including camera types, colour spaces, colour indexes, and image segmentation. The descriptive crop growth metrics are defined. Reference methods for groundtruth measurement are described. Image processing methods for metric estimation aredescribed in detail. The performance of the methods is reviewed and compared. The surveyreveals limitations in image processing techniques for cereal crop monitoring such as lackof robustness to lighting conditions, camera position, and self-obstruction. Directions forfuture research to improve performance are identified.展开更多
Rapid and accurate canopy attributes estimation is highly critical in fruit crops production management as this information can be used for canopy and crop load management as well as to develop nutrient/chemical presc...Rapid and accurate canopy attributes estimation is highly critical in fruit crops production management as this information can be used for canopy and crop load management as well as to develop nutrient/chemical prescription application maps.However,the existing ground based canopy sensing and attribute estimation methods are laborious and often involve complexity with field data collection and analysis.Manual methods can be subjec-tive as well.Therefore,this study explores aerial photogrammetry based method of tree–row–volume(TRV),leaf–wall–area(LWA),canopy volume(CV)and canopy cover(CC)esti-mation for grapevine and apple canopies.Remote sensing data was collected using a con-sumer–grade small unmanned aerial system(UAS)with an RGB imaging sensor flying at different flight altitudes i.e.,15 m(Ground sampling distance,GSD=0.45 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°sensor inclination),30 m(0.90 and 0.85 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°and 75°,respectively),45 m(1.35 and 1.27 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°and 75°,respectively)and 60 m(1.81 and 1.69 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°and 75°,respectively).Crop surface model(CSM)was derived from such data to esti-mate canopy height,width and foliage vigor,which are further used to estimate TRV,LWA,CV and CC.The ground measured and aerial imagery estimated TRV had a strong relation-ship with the data collected at the lowest GSD within grapevine canopies(R^(2)=0.77 at 0.45 cm pixel^(-1)as well as for apple canopies(R^(2)=0.82 at 0.90 cm pixel^(-1).Similar trends were observed for the LWA(R^(2)=0.77 and 0.86),CV(R^(2)=0.43 and 0.64)and CC(R^(2)=0.61 and 0.68)estimates for grapevine and apple canopies,respectively.Increasing GSD(≥0.45 cm pixel^(-1) in grapevine and≥0.90 cm pixel^(-1) in apple)resulted in a weak relationship between ground measurements and aerial imagery data-based estimates for grapevines(R^(2)=0.36)and apple canopies(R^(2)=0.39–0.78).Overall,the aerial flights with lower GSD and double grid missions with RGB imaging sensor in 65°orientation aided in the development of site–specific high–quality canopy vigor maps that can be used in precision crop inputs management related decision making.展开更多
Evaluating forest ecosystem services(FES)is crucial for comprehensively recognizing forest value and for formulating targeted forest management plans.However,hurdles persist in traditional FES evaluations that are bas...Evaluating forest ecosystem services(FES)is crucial for comprehensively recognizing forest value and for formulating targeted forest management plans.However,hurdles persist in traditional FES evaluations that are based on conventional data(e.g.,statistical yearbooks and survey data),such as a coarse evaluation scale and difficulty in formulating refined and spatially continuous evaluation results.Forest canopy cover,canopy height,and forest aboveground biomass(AGB)are the core fundamental inputs of a robust FES evaluation.Their accuracy and degree of refinement will influence the final evaluation results obtained.To overcome the above issues,this study first explored accurate estimation methods for all 3 parameters above and then evaluated FES multidimensionally,by using these results combined with other remote sensing products and applying various principles and algorithms.Our results show that a high estimation accuracy(>80%)of the 3 key parameters is achievable for coniferous to broad-leaved forest stands and that FES evaluation results are obtainable with a high resolution and spatial continuity.The service functions,such as nutrient retention,carbon sequestration and oxygen release,and product supply are stronger while others relatively are weaker.It is worth noting that carbon storage by the AGB carbon pool surpasses that of other carbon pools.Finally,the potential of FES varies according to forest type.Compared with broad-leaved forest,coniferous forest has a greater capacity for product supply,windbreak,and sand fixation services.This study offers a methodological reference for the formulation of policies related to the paid use of FES.展开更多
文摘Background:Efficient and safe movement is fundamental for wild birds to thrive in their environments.For arboreal forest animals,especially birds,canopy cover has a large impact on birds’daily movements and is a crucial component of conservation strategies seeking to retain avian population in disturbed or urban habitats.Methods:We translocated woodland bird species utilizing different forest strata during two non-breeding seasons in Gainesville,FL,USA.We used linear model and generalized linear model to examine the effects of canopy cover and species identity on homing success and speed.Results:Among our study species of Tufted Titmouse(Baeolophus bicolor),Carolina Chickadee(Poecile carolinensis),and Northern Cardinal(Cardinalis cardinalis),we found that Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice were more likely to return than Northern Cardinals.Among birds that successfully returned,homing speed is significantly affected by forest canopy cover and species identity(titmice had higher homing speed than cardinals).Birds return much faster in landscape with higher canopy cover.Conclusions:This study presented evidence of species identity’s effect on homing success and speed in common feeder bird species in Southeast US and provided further evidence that bird movements in the suburban land cover are constrained by low canopy cover.
文摘The potential effect of canopy cover on the quality of River Offin which serves as drinking water for communities including Hwediem, Mprim and Boanim in the Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti region of Ghana was studied. These communities exemplify Ghanaian farming communities. Often, rural farmers do not have access to clean water. Using the part of the river serving these communities as a test case, we assessed the quality of water along a gradient of three different levels of canopy cover (closed, semi-closed and open canopy) where residents frequently access water. Physico-chemical tests showed that, the level of most of the physical and chemical properties of the water under all three different canopy covers was within the acceptable limits set by the World Health Organization. There was low turbidity where the canopy was closed resulting in relatively lower faecal coliforms. Total dissolved solids were also less where canopy cover was closed. Therefore, the general water quality could be potentially improved by planting trees along the river to form canopy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant numbers 41971380 and 41671414)Guangxi Natural Science Fund for Innovation Research Team(grant number 2019JJF50001)the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science(grant number OFSLRSS201920).
文摘Accurate and rapid estimation of canopy cover(CC)is crucial for many ecological and environmental models and for forest management.Unmanned aerial vehicle-light detecting and ranging(UAV-LiDAR)systems represent a promising tool for CC estimation due to their high mobility,low cost,and high point density.However,the CC values from UAV-LiDAR point clouds may be underestimated due to the presence of large quantities of within-crown gaps.To alleviate the negative effects of within-crown gaps,we proposed a pit-free CHM-based method for estimating CC,in which a cloth simulation method was used to fill the within-crown gaps.To evaluate the effect of CC values and withincrown gap proportions on the proposed method,the performance of the proposed method was tested on 18 samples with different CC values(40−70%)and 6 samples with different within-crown gap proportions(10−60%).The results showed that the CC accuracy of the proposed method was higher than that of the method without filling within-crown gaps(R^(2)=0.99 vs 0.98;RMSE=1.49%vs 2.2%).The proposed method was insensitive to within-crown gap proportions,although the CC accuracy decreased slightly with the increase in withincrown gap proportions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32271876)the Research on Key Technologies of Intelligent Monitoring and Carbon Sink Metering of Forest Resources in Fujian Province(No.2022FKJ03)the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University(No.KFB23172A,KFB23173A).
文摘Unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging(UAV–LiDAR)is a new method for collecting understory terrain data.The high estimation accuracy of understory terrain is crucial for accurate tree height measurement and forest resource surveys.The UAV–LiDAR flight altitude and forest canopy cover significantly impact the accuracy of understory terrain estimation.However,since no research examined their combined effects,we aimed to investigate this relationship.This will help optimize UAV–LiDAR flight parameters for understory terrain estimation and forest surveys across various canopy cover.This study analyzed the impacts of three flight altitudes and three canopy cover on the estimation accuracy of understory terrain.The results showed that when canopy cover exceeded a specific value,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation.Given a forest canopy cover,the reduction in ground point coverage increased significantly as the flight altitude increased;given a flight altitude,the higher the canopy cover,the more significant the reduction in ground point coverage.In forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,there were substantial differences in the accuracies of understory digital elevation models(DEMs)generated using UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes.For forests with a canopy cover<0.9,the mean absolute error(MAE)of understory DEMs from UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes was≤0.17 m and the root mean square error(RMSE)was≤0.24 m.However,for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,the UAV–LiDAR flight altitude significantly affected the accuracy of understory DEMs.At the same flight altitude,the MAE and RMSE of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9 were approximately twice those of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover<0.9.In forests with low canopy cover,it is possible to improve data collection efficiency by selecting a higher flight altitude.However,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation in forests with high canopy cover,it is essential to adopt terrain-following flight modes,reduce flight altitudes,and maintain a consistent flight altitude during longterm monitoring in high canopy cover forests.
基金the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili,Department of Natural Resources,Iran for financial support。
文摘Invasive species are increasingly spreading,particularly in rangeland ecosystems.It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods for controlling invasive plants in these ecosystems.This study aimed to investigate the effects of three strategies-21-year grazing exclusion(21-YES),mowing-grazing in rotation in alternate years(MGRS),and moderate grazing(MGS)-on the change in cover,density,and biomass of Leucanthemum vulgare Lam.(Ox-eye Daisy=OED)and the plant community.To accomplish this,three sites selected for each treatment.In 2021,270 vegetation plots were sampled using a random systematic method.Subsequently,we recorded the density and canopy cover of all growth forms(forbs,grasses,and ferns),the OED biomass,and the ground cover.The results indicated that MGS reduced OED density,OED canopy,and OED biomass.Furthermore,this strategy demonstrated the highest density and canopy cover of the plant community(including total,forbs,grasses,and ferns).Additionally,the strongest correlation was observed between the total canopy and the OED density(R2=-0.91,-0.95,-0.94 in 21-YES,MGRS,and MGS,respectively),as well as between the total canopy and the OED canopy(R2=-0.51,-0.98,-0.97 in 21-YES,MGRS,and MGS,respectively).The MGS led to an increase in diversity indices.In general,the grazing strategy has proven to be effective in controlling the spread of invasive OED and has also resulted in an increase in canopy cover,density,and diversity indices of the plant community.The study highlights the importance of ongoing management efforts to control invasive species,with moderate grazing potentially serving as a more practical,culturally accepted,and costeffective short-term control strategy for widespread rangeland weed infestations.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 40271047）.
文摘The species richness of herb layer was investigated among 43 plots of forest vegetation in the eastern Zhongtiao Mountain, in southern Shanxi Province, China. The forest vegetation was divided into two major vegetation types such as the deciduous forest and the coniferous forest by the two-way indicator species analysis （TWINSPAN）. The species richness of herb layer was fitted in the topographic and soil feature factors, as well as the topographic relative moisture index （TRMI） by the generalized linear models （GLM）. The results showed that canopy cover and altitude were the most significant environmental factors. Soil pH value and soil nutrients index such as total N, organic matter content had no significant influence. The effect of environment factors on species richness of herb layer had significant difference in vegetation types. For the broad-leaved forest, litter depth and TRMI were the important environment factors. For the coniferous forest, soil clay content was another important environment factor. The range of environmental gradient such as altitude may contribute to the difference.
文摘A study was conducted to examine the germination requirements of Cedrela odorata, Guaiacum sanctum and Calycophyllum candidissimum seeds, and the effect of light intensity on survival and growth of C. odorata and G. sanctum seedlings planted on open, partially-open and beneath the canopy of a dry forest in Nicaragua. The results show that germination of C. candidissimum seeds was signifi- cantly higher in light than darkness at constant temperatures ranging from 20-35℃. Both C. odorata and G. sanctum seeds germinated in light and darkness to a varying extent, and the optimal germination temperature was around 20-25℃. Alternating temperature regimes did not improve germination. Survival of G. sanctum seedlings was 70% beneath the canopy and 80% in the open, and its relative growth rate in collar diameter was 1.88 mm/month in the open and 1.42 mm/month in the understory. Survival was generally poor for C. odorata, particularly in the understory. We concluded that light is an absolute requirement for the germination of C. candidissimum seeds while germination of C. odorata and G. sanctum seeds are more sensitive to temperature. Owing to its high survival rate on open site, G. sanctum could serve as a candidate species for reforestation of degraded sites.
基金International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development(ICIMOD)for research funding
文摘Hindu Kush Himalaya(HKH) is the largest and the most diverse mountain region in the world that provides ecosystem services to one fifth of the total world population. The forests are fragmented to different degrees due to expansion and intensification of human land use. However, the quantitative relationship between fragmentation and demography has not been established before for HKH vis-à-vis along elevation gradient. We used the globally available tree canopy cover data derived from Landsat-TM satellite to find out the decadal forest cover change over 2000 to 2010 and their corresponding fragmentation levels. Using SRTMderived DEM, we observed high forest cover loss up to2400 m that highly corroborated with the population distribution pattern as derived from satellite observation. In general, forest cover loss was found to be higher in south-eastern part of HKH. Forest fragmentation obtained using ‘area-weighted mean radius of gyration' as indicator, was found to be very high up to 2400 m that also corroborated with high human population for the year 2000 and 2010. We observed logarithmic decrease in fragmentation change(area-weighted mean radius of gyration value),forest cover loss and population growth during 2000-2010 along the elevation gradient with very high R^2 values(i.e., 0.889, 0.895, 0.944 respectively). Our finding on the pattern of forest fragmentation and human population across the elevation gradient in HKH region will have policy level implication for different nations and would help in characterizing hotspots of change. Availability of free satellite derived data products on forest cover and DEM, griddata on demography, and utility of geospatial tools helped in quick evaluation of the forest fragmentation vis-a-vis human impact pattern along the elevation gradient in HKH.
文摘Remote sensing is an important tool for studying and modeling forest stands.Vegetation indices obtained from Landsat-8 remotely sensed data were used to estimate the forest parameters in the western mountains of Iran.Thirtyfour sample points were selected on the map of Bayangan County,Kermanshah province,Iran.At each point,a cluster of five rectangular plots of 8100 m2 and 200 m apart was established.Some clusters were primarily sampled to determine the variance of the forest parameters.The coefficient of variation was used as a criterion for sample allocation.Stand density,canopy cover and basal area per hectare were calculated for each plot.Vegetation indices were extracted fromthe Landsat-8 images for each plot.Simple linear and nonlinear regressions were conducted to develop the models.The models were validated using an independent data set.Stability of model parameters was statistically evaluated.The results showed that Normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)and Transformed normalized difference vegetation index(TNDVI)followed by Simple ratio vegetation index(SRVI)were the best predictors,explaining up to 91%of the variations with high precision.For NDVI,Soil adjusted vegetation index 2(SAVI2)and SRVI,the cubic model was more appropriate than the linear model for predicting the forest parameters.For this model,the R-square value increased while NRMSE decreased significantly.For Infrared percentage vegetation index(IPVI),the quadratic model was better,but,for other vegetation indices,nonlinear models were not superior to linear ones.Finally,it can be concluded that Landsat-8 imagery is suitable for predicting forest parameters in the oak forests of western Iran.Of course,large plots must be selected,and pre-classification is necessary to gain accurate and precise estimations.
基金supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
文摘A study was conducted to examine the germination requirements of Cedrela odorata, Guaiacum sanctum and Calycophyllum candidissimum seeds, and the effect of light intensity on survival and growth of C.odorata and G.sanctum seedlings planted on open, partially-open and beneath the canopy of a dry forest in Nicaragua.The results show that germination of C.candidissimum seeds was significantly higher in light than darkness at constant temperatures ranging from 20-35oC.Both C.odorata and G.sanctum seeds germinated in light and darkness to a varying extent, and the optimal germination temperature was around 20-25oC.Alternating temperature regimes did not improve germination.Survival of G.sanctum seedlings was 70% beneath the canopy and 80% in the open, and its relative growth rate in collar diameter was 1.88 mm/month in the open and 1.42 mm/month in the understory.Survival was generally poor for C.odorata, particularly in the understory.We concluded that light is an absolute requirement for the germination of C.candidissimum seeds while germination of C.odorata and G.sanctum seeds are more sensitive to temperature.Owing to its high survival rate on open site, G.sanctum could serve as a candidate species for reforestation of degraded sites.
文摘Intercropping has benefited the global agricultural sector in several ways.It is a critical farming practice for long-term productivity,agro-ecological improvement,land management and land use.It is a well-known method to increase soil health and crop productivity.Mixtures of cereals and legumes are used extensively for forage production.Mix between maize(Zea mays)and soya bean(Glycine max L.)was used to investigate intercropping effect on moisture and temperature of soil related to yield of maize.The experiment was carried out with randomized complete block design with four replications.The results showed that intercropping systems had non-significant effect on yield of maize.But it affected soil conditions especially between plant;and reduced soil temperature rang about 0.3-8℃ affected by treatment of soya bean sowing methods(W2)for both seasons.The percentage of soil moisture content was increased about 1%-18%in treatment W2.It was because of increase of percentage of canopy cover fraction by soya bean covered,the conditions area of maize was adapted to give chance for increased irrigation intervals of maize without making stress.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41401391)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China(No.2014YB071)the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars,State Education Ministry,and the Exclusive Talent Funds of Northwest A&F University of China(No.2013BSJJ017).
文摘Accurate data acquisition and analysis to obtain crop canopy information are critical steps to understand plant growth dynamics and to assess the potential impacts of biotic or abiotic stresses on plant development.A versatile and easy to use monitoring system will allow researchers and growers to improve the follow-up management strategies within farms once potential problems have been detected.This study reviewed existing remote sensing platforms and relevant information applied to crops and specifically grapevines to equip a simple Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)using a visible high definition RGB camera.The objective of the proposed Unmanned Aerial System(UAS)was to implement a Digital Surface Model(DSM)in order to obtain accurate information about the affected or missing grapevines that can be attributed to potential biotic or abiotic stress effects.The analysis process started with a three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction from the RGB images collected from grapevines using the UAS and the Structure from Motion(SfM)technique to obtain the DSM applied on a per-plant basis.Then,the DSM was expressed as greyscale images according to the halftone technique to finally extract the information of affected and missing grapevines using computer vision algorithms based on canopy cover measurement and classification.To validate the automated method proposed,each grapevine row was visually inspected within the study area.The inspection was then compared to the digital assessment using the proposed UAS in order to validate calculations of affected and missing grapevines for the whole studied vineyard.Results showed that the percentage of affected and missing grapevines was 9.5%and 7.3%,respectively from the area studied.Therefore,for this specific study,the abiotic stress that affected the experimental vineyard(frost)impacted a total of 16.8%of plants.This study provided a new method for automatically surveying affected or missing grapevines in the field and an evaluation tool for plant growth conditions,which can be implemented for other uses such as canopy management,irrigation scheduling and other precision agricultural applications.
基金This survey forms part of the CONSUS program which is funded under the Science Foundation Ireland Strategic Partnerships Program(16/SPP/3296)and is co-funded by Origin Enterprises Plc.
文摘This paper presents a survey of image processing techniques proposed in the literature forextracting key cereal crop growth metrics from high spatial resolution, typically proximalimages. The descriptive crop growth metrics considered are: crop canopy cover, aboveground biomass, leaf area index (including green area index), chlorophyll content, andgrowth stage. The paper includes an overview of relevant fundamental image processingtechniques including camera types, colour spaces, colour indexes, and image segmentation. The descriptive crop growth metrics are defined. Reference methods for groundtruth measurement are described. Image processing methods for metric estimation aredescribed in detail. The performance of the methods is reviewed and compared. The surveyreveals limitations in image processing techniques for cereal crop monitoring such as lackof robustness to lighting conditions, camera position, and self-obstruction. Directions forfuture research to improve performance are identified.
文摘Rapid and accurate canopy attributes estimation is highly critical in fruit crops production management as this information can be used for canopy and crop load management as well as to develop nutrient/chemical prescription application maps.However,the existing ground based canopy sensing and attribute estimation methods are laborious and often involve complexity with field data collection and analysis.Manual methods can be subjec-tive as well.Therefore,this study explores aerial photogrammetry based method of tree–row–volume(TRV),leaf–wall–area(LWA),canopy volume(CV)and canopy cover(CC)esti-mation for grapevine and apple canopies.Remote sensing data was collected using a con-sumer–grade small unmanned aerial system(UAS)with an RGB imaging sensor flying at different flight altitudes i.e.,15 m(Ground sampling distance,GSD=0.45 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°sensor inclination),30 m(0.90 and 0.85 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°and 75°,respectively),45 m(1.35 and 1.27 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°and 75°,respectively)and 60 m(1.81 and 1.69 cm pixel^(-1) at 65°and 75°,respectively).Crop surface model(CSM)was derived from such data to esti-mate canopy height,width and foliage vigor,which are further used to estimate TRV,LWA,CV and CC.The ground measured and aerial imagery estimated TRV had a strong relation-ship with the data collected at the lowest GSD within grapevine canopies(R^(2)=0.77 at 0.45 cm pixel^(-1)as well as for apple canopies(R^(2)=0.82 at 0.90 cm pixel^(-1).Similar trends were observed for the LWA(R^(2)=0.77 and 0.86),CV(R^(2)=0.43 and 0.64)and CC(R^(2)=0.61 and 0.68)estimates for grapevine and apple canopies,respectively.Increasing GSD(≥0.45 cm pixel^(-1) in grapevine and≥0.90 cm pixel^(-1) in apple)resulted in a weak relationship between ground measurements and aerial imagery data-based estimates for grapevines(R^(2)=0.36)and apple canopies(R^(2)=0.39–0.78).Overall,the aerial flights with lower GSD and double grid missions with RGB imaging sensor in 65°orientation aided in the development of site–specific high–quality canopy vigor maps that can be used in precision crop inputs management related decision making.
基金funded by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Non-profit Research Institution of CAF,grant number"CAFYBB2019ZB004"the National Science and Technology Major Project of China’s High Resolution Earth Observation System,grant number"21-Y30B02-9001-19/22-3"+1 种基金the ESA-MOST China Dragon 5 Cooperation,grant number"59313"the special fund for Science and Technology Innovation Teams of Shanxi Province,grant number"202204051001010"
文摘Evaluating forest ecosystem services(FES)is crucial for comprehensively recognizing forest value and for formulating targeted forest management plans.However,hurdles persist in traditional FES evaluations that are based on conventional data(e.g.,statistical yearbooks and survey data),such as a coarse evaluation scale and difficulty in formulating refined and spatially continuous evaluation results.Forest canopy cover,canopy height,and forest aboveground biomass(AGB)are the core fundamental inputs of a robust FES evaluation.Their accuracy and degree of refinement will influence the final evaluation results obtained.To overcome the above issues,this study first explored accurate estimation methods for all 3 parameters above and then evaluated FES multidimensionally,by using these results combined with other remote sensing products and applying various principles and algorithms.Our results show that a high estimation accuracy(>80%)of the 3 key parameters is achievable for coniferous to broad-leaved forest stands and that FES evaluation results are obtainable with a high resolution and spatial continuity.The service functions,such as nutrient retention,carbon sequestration and oxygen release,and product supply are stronger while others relatively are weaker.It is worth noting that carbon storage by the AGB carbon pool surpasses that of other carbon pools.Finally,the potential of FES varies according to forest type.Compared with broad-leaved forest,coniferous forest has a greater capacity for product supply,windbreak,and sand fixation services.This study offers a methodological reference for the formulation of policies related to the paid use of FES.
