Application of a new tree species counting method using high- resolution satellite data in an old-growth Chamaecyparis obtusa forest in central Japan

摘要

Japan is one of the most extensively forested countries in the world. The goal of this study was to verify the accuracy of identifying the number of trees of each dominant species in an old-growth Chamaecyparis obtusa forest, using four commercial satellites: IKONOS, QuickBird, Geoeye-1, and WorldView-2, which yield high-resolution data with spatial resolutions of 1 m or less. A new method of counting the number of trees by species developed by combining an individual tree crown delineation technique with a treetop detection technique was applied within the four stands in an old-growth Chamaecyparis obtusa forest. The accuracy of the number of dominant trees species ranged from 81.5% to 94.5% within varied topographic and growth conditions. We found that this method can be effectively applied to the management of dominant trees in conifer plantations without multiple layers or mixed high density stands in Japan.