scholarly journals Moving from plot-based to hillslope-scale assessments of savanna vegetation structure with long-range terrestrial laser scanning (LR-TLS)

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 ◽  
pp. 102070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenia Singh ◽  
Shaun R. Levick ◽  
Marcus Guderle ◽  
Christiane Schmullius
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Terrestrial Laser Scanning ◽  
Savanna Vegetation ◽  
Hillslope Scale

scholarly journals Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Vegetation Analyses with a Special Focus on Savannas

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 507
Author(s):  
Tasiyiwa Priscilla Muumbe ◽  
Jussi Baade ◽  
Jenia Singh ◽  
Christiane Schmullius ◽  
Christian Thau
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Terrestrial Laser Scanning ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Parameter Extraction ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Vegetation Parameter

Savannas are heterogeneous ecosystems, composed of varied spatial combinations and proportions of woody and herbaceous vegetation. Most field-based inventory and remote sensing methods fail to account for the lower stratum vegetation (i.e., shrubs and grasses), and are thus underrepresenting the carbon storage potential of savanna ecosystems. For detailed analyses at the local scale, Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) has proven to be a promising remote sensing technology over the past decade. Accordingly, several review articles already exist on the use of TLS for characterizing 3D vegetation structure. However, a gap exists on the spatial concentrations of TLS studies according to biome for accurate vegetation structure estimation. A comprehensive review was conducted through a meta-analysis of 113 relevant research articles using 18 attributes. The review covered a range of aspects, including the global distribution of TLS studies, parameters retrieved from TLS point clouds and retrieval methods. The review also examined the relationship between the TLS retrieval method and the overall accuracy in parameter extraction. To date, TLS has mainly been used to characterize vegetation in temperate, boreal/taiga and tropical forests, with only little emphasis on savannas. TLS studies in the savanna focused on the extraction of very few vegetation parameters (e.g., DBH and height) and did not consider the shrub contribution to the overall Above Ground Biomass (AGB). Future work should therefore focus on developing new and adjusting existing algorithms for vegetation parameter extraction in the savanna biome, improving predictive AGB models through 3D reconstructions of savanna trees and shrubs as well as quantifying AGB change through the application of multi-temporal TLS. The integration of data from various sources and platforms e.g., TLS with airborne LiDAR is recommended for improved vegetation parameter extraction (including AGB) at larger spatial scales. The review highlights the huge potential of TLS for accurate savanna vegetation extraction by discussing TLS opportunities, challenges and potential future research in the savanna biome.

scholarly journals Leveraging TLS as a Calibration and Validation Tool for MLS and ULS Mapping of Savanna Structure and Biomass at Landscape-Scales

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaun R. Levick ◽  
Tim Whiteside ◽  
David A. Loewensteiner ◽  
Mitchel Rudge ◽  
Renee Bartolo
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Calibration And Validation ◽  
Savanna Vegetation ◽  
Landscape Scales

Savanna ecosystems are challenging to map and monitor as their vegetation is highly dynamic in space and time. Understanding the structural diversity and biomass distribution of savanna vegetation requires high-resolution measurements over large areas and at regular time intervals. These requirements cannot currently be met through field-based inventories nor spaceborne satellite remote sensing alone. UAV-based remote sensing offers potential as an intermediate scaling tool, providing acquisition flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Yet despite the increased availability of lightweight LiDAR payloads, the suitability of UAV-based LiDAR for mapping and monitoring savanna 3D vegetation structure is not well established. We mapped a 1 ha savanna plot with terrestrial-, mobile- and UAV-based laser scanning (TLS, MLS, and ULS), in conjunction with a traditional field-based inventory (n = 572 stems > 0.03 m). We treated the TLS dataset as the gold standard against which we evaluated the degree of complementarity and divergence of structural metrics from MLS and ULS. Sensitivity analysis showed that MLS and ULS canopy height models (CHMs) did not differ significantly from TLS-derived models at spatial resolutions greater than 2 m and 4 m respectively. Statistical comparison of the resulting point clouds showed minor over- and under-estimation of woody canopy cover by MLS and ULS, respectively. Individual stem locations and DBH measurements from the field inventory were well replicated by the TLS survey (R2 = 0.89, RMSE = 0.024 m), which estimated above-ground woody biomass to be 7% greater than field-inventory estimates (44.21 Mg ha−1 vs 41.08 Mg ha−1). Stem DBH could not be reliably estimated directly from the MLS or ULS, nor indirectly through allometric scaling with crown attributes (R2 = 0.36, RMSE = 0.075 m). MLS and ULS show strong potential for providing rapid and larger area capture of savanna vegetation structure at resolutions suitable for many ecological investigations; however, our results underscore the necessity of nesting TLS sampling within these surveys to quantify uncertainty. Complementing large area MLS and ULS surveys with TLS sampling will expand our options for the calibration and validation of multiple spaceborne LiDAR, SAR, and optical missions.

scholarly journals Mapping the annual evolution of snow depth in a small catchment in the Pyrenees using the long-range terrestrial laser scanning

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Revuelto ◽  
J.I. López-Moreno ◽  
C. Azorin-Molina ◽  
J. Zabalza ◽  
G. Arguedas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Snow Depth ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Terrestrial Laser Scanning ◽  
Small Catchment

Integrating airborne and multi-temporal long-range terrestrial laser scanning with total station measurements for mapping and monitoring a compound slow moving rock slide

2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (11) ◽  
pp. 1330-1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Corsini ◽  
Cristina Castagnetti ◽  
Eleonora Bertacchini ◽  
Riccardo Rivola ◽  
Francesco Ronchetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Terrestrial Laser Scanning ◽  
Rock Slide ◽  
Total Station ◽  
Multi Temporal ◽  
Slow Moving

scholarly journals Application and validation of long-range terrestrial laser scanning to monitor the mass balance of very small glaciers in the Swiss Alps

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1279-1295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Fischer ◽  
Matthias Huss ◽  
Mario Kummert ◽  
Martin Hoelzle
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Long Range ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Terrestrial Laser Scanning ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Swiss Alps ◽  
Infrared Range ◽  
Mass Balances ◽  
Digital Elevation

Abstract. Due to the relative lack of empirical field data, the response of very small glaciers (here defined as being smaller than 0.5 km2) to current atmospheric warming is not fully understood yet. Investigating their mass balance, e.g. using the direct glaciological method, is a prerequisite to fill this knowledge gap. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) techniques operating in the near infrared range can be applied for the creation of repeated high-resolution digital elevation models and consecutive derivation of annual geodetic mass balances of very small glaciers. This method is promising, as laborious and potentially dangerous field measurements as well as the inter- and extrapolation of point measurements can be circumvented. However, it still needs to be validated. Here, we present TLS-derived annual surface elevation and geodetic mass changes for five very small glaciers in Switzerland (Glacier de Prapio, Glacier du Sex Rouge, St. Annafirn, Schwarzbachfirn, and Pizolgletscher) and two consecutive years (2013/14–2014/15). The scans were acquired with a long-range Riegl VZ®-6000 especially designed for surveying snow- and ice-covered terrain. Zonally variable conversion factors for firn and bare ice surfaces were applied to convert geodetic volume to mass changes. We compare the geodetic results to direct glaciological mass balance measurements coinciding with the TLS surveys and assess the uncertainties and errors included in both methods. Average glacier-wide mass balances were negative in both years, showing stronger mass losses in 2014/15 (−1.65 m w.e.) compared to 2013/14 (−0.59 m w.e.). Geodetic mass balances were slightly less negative but in close agreement with the direct glaciological ones (R2 = 0.91). Due to the dense in situ measurements, the uncertainties in the direct glaciological mass balances were small compared to the majority of measured glaciers worldwide (±0.09 m w.e. yr−1 on average), and similar to uncertainties in the TLS-derived geodetic mass balances (±0.13 m w.e. yr−1).

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