Floodplain vegetation phenology in the Southeast USA: Optimizing the timing of aerial imagery acquisition

Phenological patterns of wetland vegetation were studied on the Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina, USA, to aid in delineation of wetland vegetation community types and plant species from aerial imagery. Relative phenology patterns were recorded for 16 dominant wetland plant species from May 1984 to June 1985 on the floodplains of three streams. These patterns were identified and compared with aerial photographs acquired in the same season as ground observations. Leafout and leaf senescence varied between and within floodplains. In spite of this variability, vegetation classes and individual species may be distinguished best during the late April leafout period.