Abstract

A time series of Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) imagery was used to investigate its potential contribution to characterization of young forest plantations in northern Sweden (latitude 65 degrees N, longitude 16 degrees E). The time series image data were first bandwise relatively normalized, using image statistics from forest areas. It was shown that the difference in reflectance development between different types of forest plantations could be characterized by fitting a linear regression model through the bandwise spectral mean values for each stand, starting 5 years after the final felling. The coefficients of this regression model can be used to improve statistically based characterizations of young forest, compared to using data from the most recent image only. This result is useful for screening stands that might be in need of precommercial thinning (PCT), as well as for improving forecasts of expected forest development for whole forest-dominated landscapes consisting of several estates.

Published in

International Journal of Remote Sensing
2009, Volume: 30, number: 19, pages: 5117-5131
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

SLU Authors

• Olsson, Håkan

  • Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Remote Sensing


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01431160903022993

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/49151