Monitoring European Forest Biodiversity at Regional Scales Using Satellite Remote Sensing

TLDR: In this article, a satellite-based methodology for assessing and monitoring forest biodiversity over wide areas, has been developed, which is suitable for use with both optical and microwave satellite imagery, is based on the estimation of the three main components of forest biodiversity, i.e. composition, structure and development.

Abstract: As part of the Space Applications Institute’s FIRS (Forest Information from Remote Sensing) Project, a satellite-based methodology for assessing and monitoring forest biodiversity over wide areas, has been developed. The methodology, which is suitable for use with both optical and microwave satellite imagery, is based on the estimation of the three main components of forest biodiversity — i.e. composition, structure and development. Central to the methodology is a powerful technique for automatically delineating the natural spatial units of the landscape (including forest stands), by image segmentation. The actual forest biodiversity is estimated using the following three major, complementary indices: (a) Fractal Dimension; (b) Dominance Index; (c) Contagion Index. The methodology provides a cost-effective, objective system for obtaining regular, up to date information on the major environmental indicators which determine forest biodiversity, in a form which facilitates comparisons between different geographical areas and between different time periods.