Remote Sensing of Biophysical Parameters: Linking Field, Airborne

and Continental Scale DataPresentation by: Kasper Johansen1,2 and Stuart Phinn1,2

1The University of Queensland (k.johansen@uq.edu.au)2 Joint Remote Sensing Research Program

Outline

1. Introduction: Australian Supersites Network and AusCover

2. AusCover Activities and Products

3. AusCover Data Collection

4. Linking Field, Airborne and Satellite Image Data

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Plot locations of the ASN

Australian Supersites Network (ASN) and AusCover

Plot locations of AusCover

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Australian Supersites Network and AusCover

AusCover Activities and Products

A nationally consistent approach to deliver, calibrate and validate satellite image based data sets designed for Australian conditions.

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Field-based Measurements Satellite Based MeasurementsAirborne Measurements

AusCover Activities and Products:AusCover Field and Airborne Campaigns

Time-Series Measurements

Field and Airborne Data Collection Design

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• Each site represents dominant biome or environment with high conservation value

• Homogenous 5 x 5 km sites

• Capture variability within site

• Rapid sites (TLS, hemispherical photos, GPS)

• Field data collection influenced by accessibility and type of environment

• Homogenous plots• Ground, mid-storey and

over-storey• Basal area• Vegetation structure• LAI (LAI-2200)• Hemispherical photos• Terrestrial Laser Scanning• Leaf samples and species

ID• Phenology photos

Field and Airborne Data Collection Design

Field and Airborne Data Collection Design

Field Data Collection Processes:Ground, mid-storey and over-storey

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Field Data Collection Processes:Basal area

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Field Data Collection Processes:Hemispherical photos

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Field Data Collection Processes:Leaf area index

Digital Plant Canopy Imager (CI-110)

Licor Plant Canopy Analyser LAI-2200

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Field Data Collection Processes:Terrestrial laser scanning

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Field Data Collection Processes:Terrestrial laser scanning

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Field Data Collection Processes:Terrestrial laser scanning

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Field Data Collection Processes:Leaf samples and chemistry

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Field Data Collection Processes:Phenology

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Field Data Collection Processes:Spectrometer measurements

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Field Data Collection Processes:Atmospheric measurements

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Field Data Collection Processes:Accessing the field data

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Airborne Data Collection Processes:LiDAR and hyper-spectral data

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Airborne Data Collection Processes:LiDAR and hyper-spectral data

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Airborne Data Collection Processes:LiDAR and hyper-spectral data

Siterapid1

PAI3.673067

rapid2 3.363939rapid3 2.279929rapid4 2.62392rapid5 4.901737rapid6 3.14998rapid7 3.335957rapid8 3.652275rapid9 3.190056rapid10 6.049383rapid11 2.897515rapid12 3.360222

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Airborne Data Collection Processes:LiDAR and hyper-spectral data

200 m

100 m

50 m

2 km

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Airborne Data Collection Processes:LiDAR and hyper-spectral data

AusCover Products

• The vertically-projected fraction of long-term, persistent green vegetation (nominally woody vegetation) cover

Landsat Time-Series of Persistent Green-Vegetation Fraction for Australia

SOURCE DESCRIPTION

QLD DSITIA Fractional-cover field sites

ABARES Fractional-cover field sites

NSW OEH SPOT-5 Image-interpretation

NT Bushfires DBH field sites

NT NRETAS Fractional-cover field sites

ACRIS Locations of low-foliage scrub

WA Woody-vegetation sampling sites

QLD Herbarium Biomass field sites

• Field data from 800 sites collected using nationally consistent protocol, RMSE of 11%• Decision tree classifier based on robust regression statistics used to classify each pixel

as persistent or non-persistent green vegetation

Landsat Time-Series of Persistent Green-Vegetation Fraction for Australia

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Persistent Green Vegetation Fraction – Airborne LiDAR Validation

• Collation of Riegl LMS-Q560 and Riegl LMS-Q680i waveform LiDAR datasets captured within the temporal extent of the product (2000-2010)

• Woody Foliage Projective Cover estimates from field calibration of LiDAR Pgap

• Comparison with Landsat persistent green extent and cover fractions

Persistent Green Vegetation Fraction – Airborne LiDAR Validation

• The mean RMSE and Pearson correlation coefficient across all flight paths were 0.13±0.076 and 0.71±0.15, respectively.

• Herbaceous and woody understorey not included in LiDAR FPC (<0.5m)

Accessing the Persistent Green Vegetation Fraction Product

Future Work & ConclusionsFuture Work• Research linking both ASN and AusCover field, airborne and satellite

image data and flux measurements (e.g. for productivity, biomass, time-series change, vegetation structure and phenology assessment)

• Expand data collection over time

Conclusions• Unique data sets available for selected supersites across Australia• Will support research and ecosystem science in Australia in selected

biomes• Working with state and federal government agencies and researchers

associated with AusCover and TERN enabled this work

AcknowledgementsAGENCY PEOPLE

ABARES Jasmine Rickards

NT Bushfires Andrew Edwards

NT NRETAS Nick Cuff

ACRIS / CSIRO Gary Bastin, Matt Bradform

WA DEC Graeme Behn

Airborne Research Australia Jorg Hacker

Monash Jason Beringer

CDU Stefan Maier

QLD Herbarium

NSW Office of Environment and Heritage Tim Danaher

JCU Mike Liddell

Individual AusCover nodes

TERN in general

Remote Sensing of Biophysical Parameters: Linking Field, Airborne

and Continental Scale DataPresentation by: Kasper Johansen1,2 and Stuart Phinn1,2

1The University of Queensland (k.johansen@uq.edu.au)2 Joint Remote Sensing Research Program