A new forest cover map of continental southeast Asia derived from SPOT‐VEGETATION satellite imagery

Question: Can recent satellite imagery of coarse spatial resolution support forest cover assessment and mapping at the regional level? Location: Continental southeast Asia. Methods: Forest cover mapping was based on digital classification of SPOT4‐VEGETATION satellite images of 1 km spatial resolution from the dry seasons 1998/1999 and 1999/2000. Following a geographical stratification, the spectral clusters were visually assigned to land cover classes. The forest classes were validated by an independent set of maps, derived from interpretation of satellite imagery of high spatial resolution (Landsat TM, 30 m). Forest area estimates from the regional forest cover map were compared to the forest figures of the FAO database. Results: The regional forest cover map displays 12 forest and land cover classes. The mapping of the region's deciduous and fragmented forest cover remained challenging. A high correlation was found between forest area estimates obtained from this map and from the Landsat TM derived maps. The regional and sub‐regional forest area estimates were close to those reported by FAO. Conclusion: SPOT4‐VEGETATION satellite imagery can be used for mapping consistently and uniformly the extent and distribution of the broad forest cover types at the regional scale. The new map can be considered as an update and improvement on existing regional forest cover maps.     

40多年来塔南策勒绿洲动态变化研究

 利用策勒绿洲1956、1990和1998年3个不同时期的遥感数据（航片、TM和SPOT）进行配准、解译与分类处理,比较分析绿洲40多年来的动态变化,并从自然和人为因素两个方面探讨绿洲变化的原因。结果表明,从1956年到1998年策勒绿洲西北部的景观格局发生了显著变化,绿洲面积增加了近20％;林地的分布明显改变;河道发生显著位移,据实地调查大约向北移动400 m。对1990年TM与1998年SPOT分类数据,用FRAGSTATS软件计算景观格局指数并比较分析,发现研究区的绿洲、绿洲 荒漠交错带、荒漠和沙丘4种景观类型发生了明显的变化。绿洲面积增加而斑块数减少了近一半;交错带面积减少而斑块数增加了35％;荒漠面积减少而斑块数增加了60％;沙丘面积基本没有变化但斑块数减少了20％。绿洲变化的总体趋势是人工绿洲的面积增大而绿洲 荒漠交错带的面积明显减少,同时整个绿洲的破碎度增加而连通性降低,绿洲的稳定性和自我调节的功能下降。     

河北小五台山主要植被类型的分布与地形的关系：基于遥感信息的分析

小五台山是河北省最高峰,具有较完整的暖温带植被垂直带谱。本文通过野外群落植被调查,结合由TM遥感影像解译1：50000地形图制作的DEM数据而得到的植被图,分析了小五台山主要植被群落的分布状况及其与地形的关系。结果表明,小五台山从低海拔到高海拔,依次出现灌丛、阔叶林、针阔混交林、暗针叶林、矮林、灌丛、草甸等植被类型。森林景观的面积最大,占总面积的60．7％;平均斑块面积最大的是阔叶林和亚高山草甸,斑块破碎化最严重的是水体和针阔混交林。不同的植被类型在不同的地形条件下分布特点不同,林地在北坡所占面积比例(占总面积的75％)远大于南坡(46%),说明水分条件是小五台山森林分布的限制因子之一;灌丛和草甸与林地相反。随海拔高度的变化,不同植被类型的分布面积比例发生变化,出现替代现象,形成植被垂直带谱。由于坡度的影响,增加了带谱内植被组成的复杂性。     

Inherent and apparent optical measurements in the Hudson/Raritan Estuary

Duringan August, 1999 field campaign, measurements were made to establish hydrologicoptical properties of the Hudson/Raritan Estuary (New York-New Jersey): 1)concurrent above-and below-surface spectral irradiance; 2) sampling forlaboratory determination of inherent optical properties; and 3) concentrationsof optically-important water quality parameters. We used a bio optical modelbased on to predict thesubsurface irradiance reflectance from optically important water constituents.This model was then validated with the measured reflectance spectra from thefield spectroradiometers. Modeling of reflectance is a prerequisite forprocessing remote sensing data to desired thematic maps. These are key input tothe geographic information system (GIS) used to manage the water qualitycondition of the estuary.     

Aboveground biomass allocation and water content relationships in Mediterranean trees and shrubs in two climatological regions in Israel

Thisstudy investigated the variation along basipetal gradients of the relationshipsbetween the foliage/wood allocation ratios of biomass and of water content, inMediterranean trees and shrubs, at two different locations along a climaticgradient. Understanding of the biomass allocation and water relations inMediterranean trees and shrubs provides useful information on growth patternsofthese species, and on resource dynamics of these plant communities. Twoexperimental sites were selected along a climatological transect that runs fromthe foothills of the Judean Hills to the northern Negev desert in Israel. Ateach site, 16 quadrats of 10 × 10 m (eight on south-facingslopes and eight on north-facing slopes) were marked. The aboveground biomassofdominant tree and shrub species were estimated. Main branches of trees andshrubs were cut, their foliage and wood biomass were separately weighed, andtheir respective water contents were determined. The species studied includedthe evergreen sclerophylls, Quercus calliprinos, Phillyrealatifolia and Pistacia lentiscus, and thesemi-deciduous species, Cistus creticus, Coridothymuscapitatus and Sarcopoterium spinosum. Theresults indicated that the foliage/wood ratio decreased from the periphery ofthe crown to the interior of the trees and shrubs: foliage biomass and waterwere mainly limited to the top 30 cm of the crown in all studiedspecies. Leaves had higher relative water contents than woody tissues in theupper part of the crown. However; when the whole tree or shrub was considered,the relative water content was found to be mostly allocated to the woodystructures. The results are discussed in terms of biomass allocation in variouslife forms of the eastern-Mediterranean plant communities and how they areaffected by slope aspect and climatic conditions.     

Design and Analysis of Field Experiments Incorporating Local and Remote Effects of Treatments

Design and analysis of field experiments in the presence of local and remote treatment effects are considered. The design criteria are optimality and balance for estimating local and remote effects. A nonlinear model, where remote effects are assumed to be proportional to the local effects, has been discussed.     

Long-term trend of Ulva prolifera blooms in the western Yellow Sea

Blooms of the green macroalga Ulva prolifera in the western Yellow Sea occurred every year since 2008, and they have been reported and studied extensively using a variety of means including remote sensing. However, to date, long-term bloom patterns have not been reported except for a few case studies showing examples in different years. Here, using MODIS observations and an objective method to perform statistical analysis, mean Ulva coverage in the western Yellow Sea has been derived and analyzed between 2007 and 2015 at both monthly and annual scales. On annual scale, mean Ulva coverage decreased after 2008, but increased rapidly after 2012 from 8 km² in 2012 to 116 km² in 2015 (the largest ever reported in history for this region). In the month of June the mean coverage increased from 18 km² in 2012 to 363 km² in 2015. Other than 2009 and 2010, the month of June showed maximum Ulva coverage in every year. These coverage estimates are significantly lower than previously reported values as they represent “pure” algae coverage after taking into account of partial pixel coverage. Several environmental factors were examined in an attempt to determine the reasons behind such long-term changes, yet the results are inconclusive, suggesting a strong necessity of further coordinated and multi-disciplinary researches.