Regeneration assessment using high resolution CIR digital camera imaging

摘要

The purpose of this research was to investigate the potential of low cost, high resolution airborne digital camera imagery for use in forest vegetation management. Airborne imagery with 2.5 cm pixel size was acquired near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, over two forest regeneration sites to: i) evaluate capabilities for discrimination of conifer crop species from vegetative competition at various densities using classification of spectral and textural image information, and ii) develop models relating vegetation structure parameters to image spectral and textural information. Results indicate very strong potential for classification and counting of conifer seedlings when competition is low or not visible to the sensor. Systematic decreases in class separability and conifer count accuracy were observed with increases in density of competition vegetation. In biophysical modelling, relations between image and vegetation structure variables were weak yet statistically significant and improvement is needed for operational use.