Remote sensing of aboveground biomass and annual net aerial primary productivity in tidal wetlands
A technique was investigated for estimating biomass and net aerial primary productivity (NAPP) in Delaware tidal marshes from spectral data, describing marsh vegetation canopies. Spectral radiance data were collected with hand-held radiometers from the ground and from low altitude aircraft. Spectral wavebands corresponding to Landsat 4 thematic mapper bands 3, 4 and 5 and multispectral scanner bands 5 and 7 were employed. Spectral data, expressed as index values, were substituted into simple regression models to nondestructively compute total aboveground biomass. Dead biomass, salt crystals on plant leaves and soil background reflectance, all attenuated the spectral radiance index values. A large spectral contribution from any one of these canopy components caused an underestimate of live biomass. Biomass and annual NAPP of a S. alterniflora dominated salt marsh was estimated by traditional harvesting techniques and from ground-gathered spectral radiance data. The live and dead standing crop biomass estimates computed from spectral data were usually not significantly different from harvest biomass estimates. Spectral estimates of NAPP were usually within 10% of NAPP estimates calculated from harvest data. August live standing crop biomass estimates computed from ground-gathered spectral data for a tidal brackish marsh were generally within 10% of harvest estimates. Live biomass estimates computed from spectral data gathered from a low altitude aircraft were equally similar to harvest biomass estimates. The remote sensing technique holds much promise for rapid and accurate estimates of biomass and NAPP in tidal marshes.
- OSTI ID:
- 6561431
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Airborne hyperspectral imaging of nitrogen deficiency on crop traits and yield of maize by machine learning and radiative transfer modeling
Evaluation of spatial, radiometric and spectral Thematic Mapper performance for coastal studies
Related Subjects
MARSHES
REMOTE SENSING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WETLANDS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
AIRSHIPS
BIOMASS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DELAWARE
ECOSYSTEMS
HARVESTING
INVENTORIES
MEASURING METHODS
PRODUCTIVITY
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION III
NORTH AMERICA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
USA
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)