Leaf to canopy upscaling approach affects the estimation of canopy traits

In remote sensing applications, leaf traits are often upscaled to canopy level using sunlit leaf samples collected from the upper canopy. The implicit assumption is that the top of canopy foliage material dominates canopy reflectance and the variability in leaf traits across the canopy is very small. However, the effect of different approaches of upscaling leaf traits to canopy level on model performance and estimation accuracy remains poorly understood. This is especially important in short or sparse canopies where foliage material from the lower canopy potentially contributes to the canopy reflectance. The principal aim of this study is to examine the effect of different approaches when upscaling leaf traits to canopy level on model performance and estimation accuracy using spectral measurements (in-situ canopy hyperspectral and simulated Sentinel-2 data) in short woody vegetation. To achieve this, we measured foliar nitrogen (N), leaf mass per area (LMA), foliar chlorophyll and carbon together with leaf area index (LAI) at three vertical canopy layers (lower, middle and upper) along the plant stem in a controlled laboratory environment. We then upscaled the leaf traits to canopy level by multiplying leaf traits by LAI based on different combinations of the three canopy layers. Concurrently, in-situ canopy reflectance was measured using an ASD FieldSpec-3 Pro FR spectrometer, and the canopy traits were related to in-situ spectral measurements using partial least square regression (PLSR). The PLSR models were cross-validated based on repeated k-fold, and the normalized root mean square errors (nRMSE_cv) obtained from each upscaling approach were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Results of the study showed that leaf-to-canopy upscaling approaches that consider the contribution of leaf traits from the exposed upper canopy layer together with the shaded middle canopy layer yield significantly (p < 0.05) lower error (nRMSE_cv < 0.2 for canopy N, LMA and carbon) as well as high explained variance (R² > 0.71) for both in-situ hyperspectral and simulated Sentinel-2 data. The widely-used upscaling approach that considers only leaf traits from the upper illuminated canopy layer yielded a relatively high error (nRMSE_cv>0.2) and lower explained variance (R² < 0.71) for canopy N, LMA and carbon. In contrast, canopy chlorophyll upscaled based on leaf samples collected from the upper canopy and total canopy LAI exhibited a more accurate relationship with spectral measurements compared with other upscaling approaches. Results of this study demonstrate that leaf to canopy upscaling approaches have a profound effect on canopy traits estimation for both in-situ hyperspectral measurements and simulated Sentinel-2 data in short woody vegetation. These findings have implications for field sampling protocols of leaf traits measurement as well as upscaling leaf traits to canopy level especially in short and less foliated vegetation where leaves from the lower canopy contribute to the canopy reflectance.     

Estimating chlorophyll content of crops from hyperspectral data using a normalized area over reflectance curve (NAOC)

The Normalized Area Over reflectance Curve (NAOC) is proposed as a new index for remote sensing estimation of the leaf chlorophyll content of heterogeneous areas with different crops, different canopies and different types of bare soil. This index is based on the calculation of the area over the reflectance curve obtained by high spectral resolution reflectance measurements, determined, from the integral of the red–near-infrared interval, divided by the maximum reflectance in that spectral region. For this, use has been made of the experimental data of the SPARC campaigns, where in situ measurements were made of leaf chlorophyll content, LAI and fCOVER of 9 different crops – thus, yielding 300 different values with broad variability of these biophysical parameters. In addition, Proba/CHRIS hyperspectral images were obtained simultaneously to the ground measurements. By comparing the spectra of each pixel with its experimental leaf chlorophyll value, the NAOC was proven to exhibit a linear correlation to chlorophyll content. Calculating the correlation between these variables in the 600–800 nm interval, the best correlation was obtained by computing the integral of the spectral reflectance curve between 643 and 795 nm, which practically covers the spectral range of maximum chlorophyll absorption (at around 670 nm) and maximum leaf reflectance in the infrared (750–800 nm). Based on a Proba/CHRIS image, a chlorophyll map was generated using NAOC and compared with the land-use (crops classification) map. The method yielded a leaf chlorophyll content map of the study area, comprising a large heterogeneous zone. An analysis was made to determine whether the method also serves to estimate the total chlorophyll content of a canopy, multiplying the leaf chlorophyll content by the LAI. To validate the method, use was made of the data from another campaign ((SEN2FLEX), in which measurements were made of different biophysical parameters of 7 crops, and hyperspectral images were obtained with the CASI imaging radiometer from an aircraft. Applying the method to a CASI image, a map of leaf chlorophyll content was obtained, which on, establishing comparisons with the experimental data allowed us to estimate chlorophyll with a root mean square error of 4.2 μg/cm², similar or smaller than other methods but with the improvement of applicability to a large set of different crop types.     

针叶林冠层热点及多角度无人机遥感观测及特征分析

多角度遥感观测是研究植被冠层BRDF(Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function)特性的重要手段,但目前对森林冠层进行连续间隔采样的多角度遥感观测及数据较少,热点方向的观测尤为缺乏.本研究基于无人机多角度高光谱成像系统,在主平面上对针叶林冠层以等角度连续间隔采样进行多...     

Hyperspectral reflectance of leaves and flowers of an outbreak species discriminates season and successional stage of vegetation

Spectral reflectance can be used to assess large-scale performances of plants in the field based on plant nutrient balance as well as composition of defence compounds. However, plant chemical composition is known to vary with season – due to its phenology – and it may even depend on the succession stage of its habitat. Here we investigate (i) how spectral reflectance could be used to discriminate successional and phenological stages of Jacobaea vulgaris in both leaf and flower organs and (ii) if chemical content estimation by reflectance is flower or leaf dependent.We used J. vulgaris, which is a natural outbreak plant species on abandoned arable fields in north-western Europe and studied this species in a chronosequence representing successional development during time since abandonment. The chemical content and reflectance between 400 and 2500 nm wavelengths of flowers and leaves were measured throughout the season in fields of different successional ages. The data were analyzed with multivariate statistics for temporal discrimination and estimation of chemical contents in both leaf and flower organs.Two main effects were revealed by spectral reflectance measurements: (i) both flower and leaf spectra show successional and seasonal changes, but the pattern is complex and organ specific (ii) flower head pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are involved in plant defence against herbivores, can be detected through hyperspectral reflectance.We conclude that spectral reflectance of both leaves and flowers can provide information on plant performance during season and successional stages. As a result, remote sensing studies of plant performance in complex field situations will benefit from considering hyperspectral reflectance of different plant organs. This approach may enable more detailed studies on the link between spectral information and plant defence dynamics both aboveground and belowground.     

Estimation of chlorophyll fluorescence under natural illumination from hyperspectral data

This paper reports a series of laboratory and field measurements of spectral reflectance under artificial and natural light conditions which demonstrate that effects of natural chlorophyll fluorescence are observable in the reflectance red edge spectral region. These are results from the progress made to link physiologically-based indicators to optical indices from hyperspectral remote sensing in the Bioindicators of Forest Sustainability Project. This study is carried out on twelve sites of Acer saccharum M. in the Algoma Region, Ontario (Canada), where field measurements, laboratory-simulation experiments, and hyperspectral CASI imagery have been carried out in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 campaigns. Leaf samples from the study sites have been used for reflectance and transmittance measurements with the Li-Cor Model 1800 integrating sphere apparatus coupled to an Ocean Optics Model ST1000 fibre spectrometer in which the same leaves are illuminated alternatively with and without fluorescence-exciting radiation. A study of the diurnal change in leaf reflectance spectra, combined with fluorescence measurements with the PAM-2000 Fluorometer show that the difference spectra are consistent with observed diurnal changes in steady-state fluorescence. Small canopies of Acer saccharum M. have been used for laboratory measurements with the CASI hyperspectral sensor, and under natural light conditions with a fibre spectrometer in diurnal trials, in which the variation of measured reflectance is shown experimentally to be consistent with a fluorescence signature imposed on the inherent leaf reflectance signature. Such reflectance changes due to CF are measurable under natural illumination conditions, although airborne experiments with the CASI hyperspectral sensor produced promising but less convincing results in two diurnal experiments carried out in 1999 and 2000, where small variations of reflectance due to the effect of CF were observed.     

基于混合像元分解理论的路域植被等量水厚度遥感反演

为削弱混合像元对植被参数反演的影响,提出了基于混合像元分解理论反演路域植被等量水厚度的方法。利用PRO4SAIL模型正演获得的高光谱窄波段数据,模拟Landsat 8遥感影像宽波段植被冠层光谱数据,并进行等量水厚度的敏感植被指数的筛选;对覆盖研究区域的Landsat 8遥感影像进行线性混合像元分解,获取更加精确的植被冠层光谱反射率;同时,利用支持向量机构建等量水厚度估测模型,实现对路域植被等量水厚度的遥感反演。研究结果表明,利用混合像元分解后得到的植被冠层光谱参与模型反演得到的路域植被等量水厚度更加符合实际情况,为遥感影像反演植被参数提供了有效数据。     

基于高光谱遥感数据提取森林结构参数的研究

以位于三峡库区的龙门河森林自然保护区为研究区,综合利用线性光谱混合模型和几何光学模型,基于高光谱遥感数据提取森林结构参数是本文研究的重点。在研究区地面调查数据的基础上,通过高光谱数据和混合光谱分解法,获得反演几何光学模型所需的四分量参数,根据背景光照分量与森林植被冠层各参数间的关系,反演得到森林冠层郁闭度及平均冠幅的定量分布图,并利用37个野外实测样本进行结果验证。     

不同传感器的模拟植被指数对水稻叶面积指数的估测精度和敏感性分析

本研究利用水稻冠层高光谱数据,模拟NOAA-AVHRR,Terra-MODIS和Landsat-TM的可见光波段反射率数据,计算各传感器的多种植被指数(NDVI,RVI,EVI,GNDVI,GRVI和Red-edge RVI),比较植被指数模型对水稻LAI的估测精度,分析不同植被指数对LAI变化的敏感性.相对于红波段植被指数,红边比值植被指数(Red-edge RVI)和绿波段指数GRVI与LAI有更好的线性相关关系,而GNDVI和LAI呈现更好的对数相关关系.MODIS的Red-edge RVI指数不仅模型拟合的精度最高,还有独立数据验证的估测精度也最高,而且它的验证精度较拟合精度下降幅度最小;其次是绿波段构建的GNDVI和GRVI植被指数的估测精度,再次是NDVI和EVI的估测精度,而RVI的估测精度最差.敏感性分析发现,13个植被指数对水稻LAI的估测能力都随着LAI的增加而下降,但归一化类植被指数和比值类植被指数对LAI变化反应的差异明显,归一化类植被指数在LAI较低时(LAI<1.5)对LAI变化的反应开始非常敏感,但迅速下降,而比值类植被指数在LAI较低时,明显小于归一化类植被指数,之后随着LAI的增大(LAI>1.5)比值类植被指数对LAI的变化敏感性,则明显高于归一化类植被指数.Red-edge RVI和绿波段指数GRVI和LAI不仅表现了很好的线性相关关系,而且在LAI大于2.9左右保持较高的敏感性.     

Monitoring nitrogen concentration of oilseed rape from hyperspectral data using radial basis function

Remote sensing technology is the important tool of digital earth, it can facilitate nutrient management in sustainable cropping systems. In the study, two types of radial basis function (RBF) neural network approaches, the standard radial basis function (SRBF) neural networks and the modified type of RBF, generalized regression neural networks (GRNN), were investigated in estimating the nitrogen concentrations of oilseed rape canopy using vegetation indices (VIs) and hyperspectral reflectance. Comparison analyses were performed to the spectral variables and the approaches. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and determination coefficients (R²) were used to assess their predictability of nitrogen concentrations. For all spectral variables (VIs and hyperspectral reflectance), the GRNN method produced more accurate estimates of nitrogen concentrations than did the SRBF method at all ranges of nitrogen concentrations, and the better agreements between the measured and the predicted nitrogen concentration were obtained with the GRNN method. This indicated that the GRNN method is prior to the SRBF method in estimation of nitrogen concentrations. Among the VIs, the Modified Chlorophyll Absorption in Reflectance Index (MCARI), MCARI₁₅₁₀, and Transformed Chlorophyll Absorption in Reflectance Index are better than the others in estimating oilseed rape canopy nitrogen concentrations. Compared to the results from VIs, the hyperspectral reflectance data also gave an acceptable estimation. The study showed that nitrogen concentrations of oilseed rape canopy could be monitored using remotely sensed data and the RBF method, especially the GRNN method, is a useful explorative tool for oilseed rape nitrogen concentration monitoring when applied on hyperspectral data.     

Employing ground and satellite-based QuickBird data and random forest to discriminate five tree species in a Southern African Woodland

With the emergence of very high spatial and spectral resolution data set, the resolution gap that existed between remote-sensing data set and aerial photographs has decreased. The decrease in resolution gap has allowed accurate discrimination of different tree species. In this study, discrimination of indigenous tree species (n?=?5) was carried out using ground based hyperspectral data resampled to QuickBird bands and the actual QuickBird imagery for the area around Palapye, Botswana. The purpose of the study was to compare the accuracies of resampled hyperspectral data (resampled to QuickBird sensors) with the actual image (QuickBird image) in discriminating between the indigenous tree species. We performed Random Forest (RF) using canopy reflectance taking from ground-based hyperspectral sensor and the reflectance delineated regions of the tree species. The overall accuracies for classifying the five tree species was 79.86 and 88.78% for both the resampled and actual image, respectively. We observed that resampled data set can be upscale to actual image with the same or even greater level of accuracy. We therefore conclude that high spectral and spatial resolution data set has substantial potential for tree species discrimination in savannah environments.     

光谱指数用于叶绿素含量提取的评价及一种改进的农作物冠层叶绿素含量提取模型

对目前提出的光谱指数用以提取叶片叶绿素含量的适应性进行了分析和评价。通过分析,解释了为什么研究者得出这些指数与他们的观测样本叶绿素含量有显著的相关的结论以及为什么某个研究者提出的某个指数和叶绿素含量间的关系用于其他样本时会失效。此外,改进了一个农作物冠层叶绿素含量的提取模型,通过独立实测数据验证,效果较好,认为是可以用于其他地区农作物叶绿素含量提取的模型。     

农作物冠层光谱分析及反演技术综述

农作物的冠层光谱反射率与作物的氮含量、叶绿素含量及叶面积指数等参数之间具有很强的相关性,通过对作物冠层光谱进行分析可反演出作物的生物物理参数,并应用在长势分析、产量预测、病虫害预警等领域。本文首先阐述了作物冠层反射率采集方法,对地面、机载及遥感卫星3个采集层面的优缺点进行了对比;其次给出了植被指数构建原理及常用植被指数,分析了物理模型反演法和统计反演法的复杂度和性能;最后提出了农作物冠层光谱分析及反演技术的下一步发展方向及面临的挑战。     

Estimation of vegetation LAI from hyperspectral reflectance data: Effects of soil type and plant architecture

The retrieval of canopy biophysical variables is known to be affected by confounding factors such as plant type and background reflectance. The effects of soil type and plant architecture on the retrieval of vegetation leaf area index (LAI) from hyperspectral data were assessed in this study. In situ measurements of LAI were related to reflectances in the red and near-infrared and also to five widely used spectral vegetation indices (VIs). The study confirmed that the spectral contrast between leaves and soil background determines the strength of the LAI–reflectance relationship. It was shown that within a given vegetation species, the optimum spectral regions for LAI estimation were similar across the investigated VIs, indicating that the various VIs are basically summarizing the same spectral information for a given vegetation species. Cross-validated results revealed that, narrow-band PVI was less influenced by soil background effects (0.15 ≤ RMSE_cv ≤ 0.56). The results suggest that, when using remote sensing VIs for LAI estimation, not only is the choice of VI of importance but also prior knowledge of plant architecture and soil background. Hence, some kind of landscape stratification is required before using hyperspectral imagery for large-scale mapping of vegetation biophysical variables.     

利用细分光谱仪数据分析水体泥土含量的方法研究

分析了水中泥土含量对水体光谱特征的影响。对利用水体的光谱反射率计算水体中泥土含量的方法进行了分析，找出了用于泥土含量计算的最佳波段。该方法对今后的利用高光谱遥感图像计算河流和海水中的泥沙含量及估算水土流失具有一定的参考意义。     

Spatially Explicit Estimation of Leaf Area Index Using EO-1 Hyperion and Landsat ETM+ Data: Implications of Spectral Bandwidth and Shortwave Infrared Data on Prediction Accuracy in a Tropical Montane Environment

This study evaluated the utility of narrowband (EO-1 Hyperion) and broadband (Landsat ETM+) remote sensing data for the estimation of leaf area index (LAI) in a tropical environment in Sulawesi, Indonesia. LAI was inferred from canopy gap fraction measurements taken in natural tropical forest and cocoa plantations. Single and multiple spectral bands and spectral indices were used as predictor variables in reduced major axis (RMA) and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models. The predictive power of most regression models was notably higher when employing narrowband data instead of broadband data. Highly significant relationships between LAI and spectral reflectance were observed near the red-edge region and in most shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands. In contrast to most near-infrared (NIR) narrow bands, the correlation between SWIR reflectance and LAI was not confounded when including both vegetation types and did not suffer from saturation. The results demonstrate that leaf area index of a challenging tropical environment can be estimated with satisfactory accuracy from hyperspectral remote sensing data.     

Spectral Characteristics of Weathered Oil Films on Water Surface and Selection of Potential Sensitive Bands in Hyper-Spectral Images

This study was an experiment to measure the reflectance data of water and oil films at the 0, 1st, 3rd, 12th, and 48th h of weathering and analyzed the spectral reflectance characteristics of the weathered oil films. Based on the experiment and analysis, the measured data were resampled through the spectral response function of the hyperspectral data. The environmental noise equivalent reflectance difference of the image data was then used to assess the sensitivity of each band for the detection of oil films. The bands that were most effective in detecting oil films in various stages of weathering were assessed. Results indicated that the spaceborne hyperspectral sensor employed in this study had the potential to discriminate among oil films in different stages of weathering. At the 0, 1st, 3rd, and 12th h of weathering, discrimination between water and oil films and among oil films in varying stages of weathering was achieved at the visible and near-infrared bands. After 48 h, the potential sensitive bands were distributed mainly in the near-infrared region. This experiment can provide a method to select bands of hyperspectral data for monitoring oil films.     

Studies on Textural and Compositional Characteristics of Sand and Clay Mixtures Using Hyperspectral Radiometry

This paper examines the hyperspectral signatures (in the Visible Near Infrared (VNIR)-Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) regions) of soil samples with varying colour and minerals. 36 samples of sands (from river and beach) with differing clay contents were examined using a hyperspectral radiometer operating in the 350–2,500 nm range, and the spectral curves were obtained. Analysis of the spectra indicates that there is an overall increase in the reflectance in the VNIR-SWIR region with an increase in the content of kaolinite clay in the sand samples. As regards the red and black clays and sand mixtures, the overall reflectance increases with decreasing clay content. Several spectral parameters such as depth of absorption at 1,400 nm and 1,900 nm regions, radius of curvature of the absorption troughs, slope at a particular wavelength region and the peak reflectance values were derived. There exists a correlation between certain of these spectral parameters (depth, slope, position, peak reflectance, area under the curve and radius of the curve) and the compositional and textural parameters of the soils. Based on these well-defined relations, it is inferred that hyperspectral radiometry in the VNIR and SWIR regions can be used to identify the type of clay and estimate the clay content in a given soil and thus define its geotechnical category.     

结合Gram-Schmidt变换的高光谱影像谐波分析融合算法

针对高光谱影像谐波分析融合(HAF)算法在影像融合时不顾及地物光谱曲线整体反射率这一缺陷,提出了结合Gram-Schmidt变换的高光谱影像谐波分析融合(GSHAF)改进算法。GSHAF算法可在完全保留融合前后像元光谱曲线波形形态的基础上,将高光谱影像融合简化为各像元光谱曲线的谐波余相组成的二维影像与高空间分辨率影像之间的融合。它是在原始高光谱影像光谱曲线被谐波分解为谐波余项、振幅和相位后,首先将其谐波余项与高空间分辨率影像进行GS变换融合,这样便可有效地修正融合后像元光谱曲线的反射率特征,随后再利用该融合影像与谐波振幅、相位进行谐波逆变换,完成高光谱影像谐波融合。本文最后利用Hyperion高光谱遥感影像与ALI高空间分辨率影像对GSHAF算法进行可行性分析,再以HJ-1A等卫星数据对其进行普适性验证,试验结果表明,GSHAF算法不仅可以完全地保留光谱曲线波形形态,而且融合后影像的地物光谱曲线反射率更接近真实地物。     

基于PROSPECT＋SAIL模型的遥感叶面积指数反演

以PROSPECT+SAIL模型为基础，从物理机理角度反演植被叶面积指数(LAI)。首先，通过FLAASH模型进行大气校正，使得图像像元值表达植被冠层反射率； 然后，根据LOPEX 93数据库和JHU光谱数据库选择植物生化参数和光谱数据，以PROSPECT模型模拟出的植物叶片反射率和透射率作为SAIL模型的输入参数，得到植被冠层反射率，将结果与遥感影像的植被冠层反射率对应，回归出植被LAI； 最后，以地面实测数据对遥感反演数据进行验证，并分析了误差的可能来源。     

高光谱反演水稻叶面积指数的主成分分析法

为了通过水稻冠层反射光谱来提取水稻叶面积指数信息，尝试利用辐射传输模型PROSPECT+SAIL来模拟水稻冠层反射光谱， 比较了各植被指数中叶面积指数(LAI)和叶绿素浓度的相关性。在观察光谱曲线后发现，红边位置光谱可以较好地区分LAI和叶绿素 浓度二者引起光谱变化的差异。由此提出对700 nm~750 nm区间内的反射光谱做主成分变换，并利用第2主成分与LAI建立反演模型( 即主成分分析法)，取得了较好效果，表明在植被指数趋近于饱和以至于无法区分二者相关性时，主成分分析法可以作为一种简单 而有效提取水稻叶面积指数信息的补充手段。