Testing the capability of spectral resolution of the new multispectral sensors on detecting the severity of grey leaf spot disease in maize crop

Abstract

In this study, we tested whether GLS field symptoms on maize can be detected using hyperspectral data re-sampled to WorldView-2, Quickbird, RapidEye and Sentinel-2 resolutions. To achieve this objective, Random Forest algorithm was used to classify the 2013 re-sampled spectra to represent the three identified disease severity categories. Results showed that Sentinel-2, with 13 spectral bands, achieved the highest overall accuracy and kappa value of 84% and 0.76, respectively, while the WorldView-2, with eight spectral bands, yielded the second highest overall accuracy and kappa value of 82% and 0.73, respectively. Results also showed that the 705 and 710 nm red edge bands were the most valuable in detecting the GLS for Sentinel-2 and RapidEye, respectively. On the re-sampled WorldView 2 and Quickbird sensor resolutions, the respective 608 and 660 nm in the yellow and red bands were identified as the most valuable for discriminating all categories of infection.     

Seasonal variations in the isotopic composition of leaf and stem water from an arid region of Southeast Asia

Abstract

Stable isotopes are powerful research tools in environmental sciences and their use in ecosystem research is increasing. Stable isotope measurements allow the study of evapotranspiration fluxes, soil evaporation and leaf transpiration phenomena. Soil water and leaf water are the sources of the evapotranspiration that transfers large quantities of water from land to the atmosphere; as a result the isotopic composition of water left in the leaves is modified towards enrichment. Evaporation also changes the isotopic composition of water bodies creating a natural isotopic signal. The isotopic identity of soil water affects the oxygen isotopic signature of leaf and stem water. In this paper we present the isotopic data of bulk leaf water, showing the enrichment in isotopic value of oxygen due to evapotranspiration from leaves in conjunction with the isotopic signal of rainwater and other environmental factors such as humidity and temperature. Results suggest that the variation in the values of δ¹⁸O of Eucalyptus citriodora, Dalbergia sissoo, Melia azedarach and Pinus roxburghii is due to the seasonal changes in the δ¹⁸O of the source water for plants, i. e. rain. It is further observed that leaf water δ¹⁸O values are depleted during the months of July, August and September. This occurs due to the following reasons: (a) the sampling areas receive about 50% of the average annual rain during these months, and (b) rainfalls during these months are isotopically depleted compared with winter rains.

Citation Butt, S., Ali, M., Fazil, M. & Latif, Z. (2010) Seasonal variations in the isotopic composition of leaf and stem water from an arid region of Southeast Asia. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(5), 844–848.     

Winter Leaf Conductance Rates of Pinus Strobus L. (Eastern White Pine)

Our knowledge of winter leaf conductance and transpiration rates during the winter and early spring is especially weak for Pinus strobus L. (eastern white pine). Hence, the present study was conducted to: (1) measure and examine the winter leaf conductance and transpiration rates among 10 P. strobus trees to supply preliminary data for an understudied tree species; and (2) investigate whether observed leaf conductance and transpiration rates are large enough to merit incorporation into existing water balance models. The fieldwork was conducted at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in northeastern Maryland (39°42'N, 75°50'W) using a Li-Cor 1600M Steady State Porometer. Meteorological data were acquired from a continuously recording meteorological station on-site. Meteorological data were recorded at five-minute intervals to ensure that weather conditions could be temporally sequenced with porometer readings. The 10 co-occurring P. strobus sample trees were of similar age and health on uniform soils in an open field. Winter and early spring leaf conductance values of the selected trees reached 20 mmol m^-2 s^-1, whereas transpiration reached 0.13 mmol m^-2 s^-1. Results of the study indicate that there is statistically significant differences in leaf conductance rates among co-occurring P. strobus trees (H = 16.74, p = .05). Since the upper winter leaf conductance and transpiration rates measured in this study overlap with growing season leaf conductance and transpiration values reported by others, it is suggested that winter leaf conductance of and transpiration from P. strobus trees are significant enough to incorporate into water balance calculations.     

Snowfall interception in a deciduous Nothofagus forest and implications for spatial snowpack distribution

Native Nothofagus forests in the midlatitude region of the Andes Cordillera are notorious biodiversity hot spots, uniquely situated in the Southern Hemisphere such that they develop in snow‐dominated reaches of this mountain range. Spanning a smaller surface area than similar ecosystems, where forests and snow coexist in the Northern Hemisphere, the interaction between vegetation and snow processes in this ecotone has received lesser attention. We present the first systematic study of snow–vegetation interactions in the Nothofagus forests of the Southern Andes, focusing on how the interplay between interception and climate determines patterns of snow water equivalent (SWE) variability. The Valle Hermoso experimental catchment, located in the Nevados de Chillán vicinity, was fitted with eight snow depth sensors that provided continuous measurements at varying elevations, aspect, and forest cover. Also, manual measurements of snow properties were obtained during snow surveys conducted during end of winter and spring seasons for 3 years, between 2015 and 2017. Each year was characterized by distinct climatological conditions, with 2016 representing one of the driest winters on record in this region. Distance to canopy, leaf area index, and total gap area were measured at each observational site. A regression model was built on the basis of statistical analysis of local parameters to model snow interception in this kind of forest. We find that interception implied a 23.2% reduction in snow accumulation in forested sites compared with clearings. The interception in these deciduous trees represents, on average, 23.6% of total annual snowfall, reaching a maximum measured interception value of 13.8‐mm SWE for all snowfall events analysed in this research.     

Spatial and temporal variation of global LAI during 1981–2006

Earth is always changing. Knowledge about where changes happened is the first step for us to understand how these changes affect our lives. In this paper, we use a long-term leaf area index data (LAI) to identify where changes happened and where has experienced the strongest change around the globe during 1981–2006. Results show that, over the past 26 years, LAI has generally increased at a rate of 0.0013 per year around the globe. The strongest increasing trend is around 0.0032 per year in the middle and northern high latitudes (north of 30°N). LAI has prominently increased in Europe, Siberia, Indian Peninsula, America and south Canada, South region of Sahara, southwest corner of Australia and Kgalagadi Basin; while noticeably decreased in Southeast Asia, southeastern China, central Africa, central and southern South America and arctic areas in North America.     

基于DART模型的PROBA/CHRIS数据叶面积指数反演

叶面积指数（LAI）是生态环境研究中一个关键的生物物理变量,是陆地植被能量交换的重要途径。基于多角度高光谱植被辐射传输理论,根据DART模型,将天顶角和方位角离散成61个方向组合,建立适于多角度高光谱遥感数据的叶面积指数反演查找表;选取长白山地区高光谱多角度PROBA/CHRIS遥感数据,在进行HRIS数据预处理的基础上,利用最小二乘原理进行CHRIS数据与LAI查找表匹配,反演研究区的LAI;并对490 nm和700 nm波长在不同LAI和61个离散方向的BRDF敏感性因子进行评价分析：随着LAI值的增大,490 nm波长的BRDF值先增大后减小, 700 nm波长的BRDF值减小;BRDF值沿天顶角增大的方向下降,在天顶附近时值为最小。     

叶面积指数遥感反演研究进展与展望

叶面积指数表征叶片的疏密程度和冠层结构特征,体现植被光合、呼吸和蒸腾作用等生物物理过程的能力,是描述土壤-植被-大气之间物质和能量交换的关键参数。目前多种卫星传感器观测生成了多个区域和全球的叶面积指数标准产品。本文综述了基于光学遥感数据的叶面积指数反演进展:首先,介绍了叶面积指数的定义和在生态系统模拟中的作用;然后,阐述了基于光学遥感反演叶面积指数的基本原理;在此基础上,论述了基于植被指数经验关系和基于物理模型的两种主要遥感反演算法,讨论了2种算法的优点和存在的问题,并总结了现有的主要全球数据产品及其特点,论述了产品检验的方法和需要注意的问题;最后,总结了当前叶面积指数反演中存在的问题,并展望了其发展趋势和研究方向。     

基于最多叶子生成树的中国航空网络轴辐结构构建

航空网络的轴辐 (Hub-Spoke) 结构是实现规模经济发展的重要交通运输网络结构,本文为此提出了一种全新的航空网络轴辐结构构建方法。该方法从图论和地理学的角度出发,引入地理距离约束,改进了传统的最多叶子生成树 (Maximum Leaf Spanning Tree) 算法,直接从现有的中国航空网络中抽取树形轴辐结构形成航空支线网络,然后选取支线网络中度前10的节点作为航空枢纽点,并将枢纽点之间在原图中的航线抽取为航空干线网络,最后将支线网络和干线网络合并形成中国航空网络的轴辐结构。在与相关研究的对比分析中,本文方法虽是从图论角度出发,但构建的中国航空轴辐结构符合实际地理环境,划分支线网络距离阈值的选择更加客观合理,所选的航空枢纽点地理意义更为明显,干支线网络的覆盖度更为全面。     

土地利用类型转换对地表能量平衡和气候的影响——基于SiB2模型的模拟结果

利用SiB2 模型对中国东北地区农田、草地和森林3 种土地利用类型的地表能量平衡过程展开研究,分析不同土地利用类型对生物地球物理参数（反照率和粗糙度）、能量平衡（净辐射、潜热和显热）和气候（冠层温度）的影响。结果表明：①模型模拟的地表能量平衡与实测数据的年变化动态相似（R²>0.42）,差值保持在±30 W/m²,温度在±4 ℃。②利用相同气象数据模拟不同土地利用类型通过生物地球物理过程对地表能量平衡和气候的影响,发现森林吸收的净辐射最高且主要用于潜热分配,农田的净辐射最低且主要用于显热分配,草地净辐射和能量分配居中。③生态系统获得的净辐射主要受反照率的影响,净辐射分配受叶面积指数的调节。④冠层温度（℃）受反照率和净辐射在潜热和显热间分配的相对重要性的影响：年平均值为森林（7.7）>农田（7.64）>草地（6.67）。⑤降水对模拟结果有显著影响,是森林模拟差异的主要原因。在不同土地利用类型中,降水增加土壤水分,净辐射更多分配到潜热,较少分配到显热,降低冠层温度。     

Tree root systems competing for soil moisture in a 3D soil–plant model

Competition for water among multiple tree rooting systems is investigated using a soil–plant model that accounts for soil moisture dynamics and root water uptake (RWU), whole plant transpiration, and leaf-level photosynthesis. The model is based on a numerical solution to the 3D Richards equation modified to account for a 3D RWU, trunk xylem, and stomatal conductances. The stomatal conductance is determined by combining a conventional biochemical demand formulation for photosynthesis with an optimization hypothesis that selects stomatal aperture so as to maximize carbon gain for a given water loss. Model results compare well with measurements of soil moisture throughout the rooting zone, of total sap flow in the trunk xylem, as well as of leaf water potential collected in a Loblolly pine forest. The model is then used to diagnose plant responses to water stress in the presence of competing rooting systems. Unsurprisingly, the overlap between rooting zones is shown to enhance soil drying. However, the 3D spatial model yielded transpiration-bulk root-zone soil moisture relations that do not deviate appreciably from their proto-typical form commonly assumed in lumped eco-hydrological models. The increased overlap among rooting systems primarily alters the timing at which the point of incipient soil moisture stress is reached by the entire soil–plant system.