Mapping lichen distribution on the Antarctic Peninsula using remote sensing, lichen spectra and photographic documentation by citizen scientists

Casanovas, Paula; Black, Martin; Fretwell, Peter T.; Convey, Peter

doi:10.3402/polar.v34.25633

Cited by 46 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…In fact, this characteristic is extensively used for detection of vegetation, using classical vegetation indexes (e.g., NDVI). In lichens, despite the presence of chlorophyll in the inner algal cells, this red edge is usually absent or very weak [24], which would explain the low performance of NDVI to detect vegetation in Antarctica [22,23]. This is because most lichens have other pigments in the cortex that mask the chlorophyll (e.g., melanins, that result in a nearly black thallus).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have suggested that analyses based on the spectrum of only one species of lichen would be sufficient for mapping lichen habitats in the Antarctic tundra [26], with reference to the results in [23]. Note, however, that the aim of [23] was the discrimination of rocks covered by lichens in order to avoid the influence of lichens on mineralogical studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fretwell et al [22] used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) computed from Landsat images at 30 m spatial resolution. However, as the authors recognize in a recent work [23], the NDVI may overlook the presence of lichens even if they are abundant [24], and thus might seriously underestimate vegetation cover in Antarctica, where lichens are often dominant. Vieira et al [17] used supervised classification to map Usnea sp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Shin et al [25] used linear unmixing of three endmember spectra (snow, rock/soil, and vegetation) extracted from Quickbird and KOMPSAT-2 imagery to map vegetation in Barton Peninsula. Casanovas et al [23] mapped lichen cover in areas of the Antarctic Peninsula by means of a matched filter using three endmember spectra recorded in the field, but working with images of very poor spectral resolution (Landsat 7 and 8) compared to the field spectral measurements. They also compared the detection results with those from using NDVI.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spectral Discrimination of Vegetation Classes in Ice-Free Areas of Antarctica

Calviño‐Cancela

Martín-Herrero

2016

Remote Sensing

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Detailed monitoring of vegetation changes in ice-free areas of Antarctica is crucial to determine the effects of climate warming and increasing human presence in this vulnerable ecosystem. Remote sensing techniques are especially suitable in this distant and rough environment, with high spectral and spatial resolutions needed owing to the patchiness and similarity between vegetation elements. We analyze the reflectance spectra of the most representative vegetation elements in ice-free areas of Antarctica to assess the potential for discrimination. This research is aimed as a basis for future aircraft/satellite research for long-term vegetation monitoring. The study was conducted in the Barton Peninsula, King George Island. The reflectance of ground patches of different types of vegetation or bare ground (c. 0.25 m 2 , n = 30 patches per class) was recorded with a spectrophotometer measuring between 340 nm to 1025 nm at a resolution of 0.38 nm. We used Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to classify the cover classes according to reflectance spectra, after reduction of the number of bands using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The first five principal components explained an accumulated 99.4% of the total variance and were added to the discriminant function. The LDA classification resulted in c. 92% of cases correctly classified (a hit ratio 11.9 times greater than chance). The most important region for discrimination was the visible and near ultraviolet (UV), with the relative importance of spectral bands steeply decreasing in the Near Infra-Red (NIR) region. Our study shows the feasibility of discriminating among representative taxa of Antarctic vegetation using their spectral patterns in the near UV, visible and NIR. The results are encouraging for hyperspectral vegetation mapping in Antarctica, which could greatly facilitate monitoring vegetation changes in response to a changing environment, reducing the costs and environmental impacts of field surveys.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spectral Discrimination of Vegetation Classes in Ice-Free Areas of Antarctica

Calviño‐Cancela

Martín-Herrero

2016

Remote Sensing

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“…Historically, infrastructure was generally a necessary precondition to scientific activity as it was almost Technological changes in recent years have made development of new station infrastructure less critical for Antarctic science, which is undertaken increasingly (i) during short visits to existing research stations or offshore cruises, (ii) through data reanalysis, or (iii) using remote sensing techniques aboard satellite, aircraft or unmanned autonomous vehicle platforms (Casanovas et al 2015;Hughes, Ireland et al 2015;Christie et al 2016), all of which require little or no new permanent Antarctic infrastructure (Hughes 2015).…”

Section: Antarctic Infrastructurementioning

confidence: 99%

Demonstration of “substantial research activity” to acquire consultative status under the Antarctic Treaty

Gray¹,

Hughes

2016

Polar Research

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Remote sensing and spectroscopy of lichens

Rautiainen,

Kuusinen,

Majasalmi

2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Lichens are combinations of two symbiotic organisms, a green alga or cyanobacterium and a fungus. They grow in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems and survive in habitats, which are very dry or cold, or too poor in nutrients to maintain vegetation growth. Because lichens grow on visible surfaces and exhibit spectral properties, which are clearly different from, for example, vegetation, it is possible to distinguish them in remote sensing data. In this first systematic review article on remote sensing of lichens, we analyze and summarize which lichen species or genera, and in which habitats and geographical regions, have been remotely sensed, and which remote sensing or spectroscopic technologies have been used. We found that laboratory or in situ measured spectra of over 70 lichen species have been reported to date. We show that studies on remote sensing of lichens fall under seven broad themes: (1) collection of lichen spectra for quantification of lichen species or characteristics, (2) pollution monitoring with lichens as ecological indicators, (3) geological and lithological mapping, (4) desert and dryland monitoring, (5) animal habitat monitoring, (6) land cover or vegetation mapping, and (7) surface energy budget modeling.

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Mapping lichen distribution on the Antarctic Peninsula using remote sensing, lichen spectra and photographic documentation by citizen scientists

Cited by 46 publications

References 43 publications

Spectral Discrimination of Vegetation Classes in Ice-Free Areas of Antarctica

Spectral Discrimination of Vegetation Classes in Ice-Free Areas of Antarctica

Demonstration of “substantial research activity” to acquire consultative status under the Antarctic Treaty

Remote sensing and spectroscopy of lichens

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