Mediterranean shrub classification using multitemporal multi-spectral satellite images

Download
2021-2-12
Listiani, Indira Aprilia
Shrublands, which have a crucial role in retaining the ecological balance, constitute an important part of the Mediterranean ecosystems. However, their composition, distribution and dynamics are not well understood. It is necessary to know the distribution of the alliances at regional scale in order to construct models that explain their dynamics. Such models will help researchers to evaluate their role in ecosystems and predict their responses to climate change. Necessary alliance distribution maps can only be produced by employing remote sensing techniques. This study presents a methodology that generates alliance-level woodland/shrubland maps of the Mediterranean region in southern Turkey from satellite images using various machine learning techniques with different parameter combinations. Multitemporal images are used to extract information from vegetation phenology. Topographic and meteorological data are also used for improving classification. vi Cross-validation is performed using a ground-truth data set of 7452 polygons. Results show that detailed and accurate maquis shrubland classification is possible using a combination of environmental features and multi-spectral and multi-temporal satellite images. Addition of the environmental features to remotely sensed ones improved classification accuracy by 16%. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm is found to improve classification accuracy by 35.9% and 13.9% relative to Support Vector Machine and Quadratic Discriminant Analysis algorithms, respectively. Alliance-level classification maps of maquis acquired from RF classification are produced with 64.0-82.1% overall accuracy. Large-scale shrub classification method will have important implications on natural resource management and other ecological applications.

Suggestions

Southern European Seas: Assessing and modelling ecosystem changes (SESAME)
Oğuz, Temel(2011-4-30)
The general scientific objectives of SESAME are to assess and predict changes in the Mediterranean and Black Sea ecosystems as well as changes in the ability of these ecosystems to provide goods and services. The Mediterranean and Black Sea will be approached as a coupled climatic/ecosystem entity, with links and feedbacks to the world ocean. The assessment of ecosystem changes will be based on the identification of the major regime shifts in ecosystems that occurred during the last 50 years. Mathematical m...
Species level classification of Mediterranean sparse forests-maquis formations using Sentinel-2 imagery
Caglayan, Semiha Demirbas; Leloğlu, Uğur Murat; Ginzler, Christian; Psomas, Achilleas; Zeydanlı, Uğur Siyami; Bilgin, Cemal Can; Waser, Lars T. (2020-07-01)
Essential forest ecosystem services can be assessed by better understanding the diversity of vegetation, specifically those of Mediterranean region. A species level classification of maquis would be useful in understanding vegetation structure and dynamics, which would be an indicator of degradation or succession in the region. Although remote sensing was regularly used for classification in the region, maquis are simply represented as one to three categories based on density or height. To fill this gap, we...
Using functional diversity components to describe phytoplankton community assembly processes in Turkish shallow lakes
Acar, Vildan; Beklioğlu, Meryem; Department of Biology (2022-4-22)
The recent increase in biodiversity loss due to various anthropogenic effects makes it crucial to understand the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning for the conservation and preservation of ecosystems. Clasically, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning studies use species diversity as a measure of biodiversity, but functional diversity has been shown in some cases to better explain and predict ecosystem-level processes. In this study, we investigated the role of dispersal, environmen...
Mapping Mediterranean maquis formations using Sentinel-2 time-series
Listiani, Indira Aprilia; Leloğlu, Uğur Murat; Zeydanli, Ugur; Caliskan, Bilgehan Kaan (2022-11-01)
Maquis, which provides numerous ecosystem services and constitutes an integral part of the Mediterranean ecosystem, is highly heterogeneous. However, despite its importance and heterogeneity, maquis is generally mapped as a single class, while forests are mapped for management purposes. Detailed mapping of the maquis formations is necessary to understand their ecology and manage them sustainably. This study presents a method that generates alliance-level maps of the maquis ecosystems through satellite image...
The ethnobotany of wild food plant use in the Konya Basin: a quantitative and ethnoarchaeological approach
Tsetsekos, Aylan Erkal; Doğan, Musa; Department of Archaeometry (2006)
In this ethnobotanical study, an ethnoarchaeological approach was adopted for the archaeological implications of the importance of wild food plants and their dietary uses in the Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods in Central Anatolia by exploring the dietary uses of these plants by the modern villagers of Konya Basin. The study was based on the indigenous knowledge of the modern villagers of Konya of managing wild food plant resource in their surroundings for the dietary uses. This knowledge was explored thr...
Citation Formats
I. A. Listiani, “Mediterranean shrub classification using multitemporal multi-spectral satellite images,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2021.