TITLE:
Assessing Net Primary Production in Montane Wetlands from Proximal, Airborne, and Satellite Remote Sensing
AUTHORS:
Michael Maguigan, John Rodgers, Padmanava Dash, Qingmin Meng
KEYWORDS:
Net Primary Production, Montane Wetland, In Situ, Airborne, Satellite
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Remote Sensing,
Vol.5 No.2,
June
21,
2016
ABSTRACT: In this study, several vegetation indices were examined in order to determine the most sensitive
vegetation index for monitoring southern Appalachian wetlands. Three levels of platforms (in situ,
airborne, and satellite) for sensors were also examined in conjunction with vegetation indices. Net
primary production (NPP) data were gathered to use as a measure of wetland function. Along with
the in situ radiometers, National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) data and Landsat 8 Operational
Land Imager (OLI) data were gathered in order to calculate vegetation indices at three platforms.
At the in situ level, VARI700 was the most sensitive vegetation index in terms of NPP (r2 =
0.65, p 2 =
0.35, p = 0.11). At the satellite level, the DVI appeared to have a positive relationship with NPP. For
most indices there was a drop in the coefficient of determination with NPP when the platform altitude
increased, with the exception of NDVI when increasing altitude from in situ to airborne. This
study provides a novel methodology comparing reflectance and vegetation indices at three platform
levels.