Assessing land-use in olive groves from aerial photographs

• Published in: Agriculture, ecosystems & environment ecosystems & environment, 2004-06, Vol.103 (1), p.117-122
• Main Authors: Peña-Barragán, J.M, Jurado-Expósito, M, López-Granados, F, Atenciano, S, Sánchez-de la Orden, M, Garcı́a-Ferrer, A, Garcı́a-Torres, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aerial photography; Agri-environmental measures; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation agriculture; Cover crops; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; land use; Olea; Olea europaea; olives; Remote sensing; seasonal variation; Vegetation indexes
• ISSN: 0167-8809; 1873-2305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2003.10.014

This work aims to determine variations in cover crop, bare soil and tree areas in olive ( Olea europaea L.) groves as affected by the season based on aerial photographs and estimated vegetation indexes. Conventional-colour and colour-infrared aerial photographs were taken in spring and summer on three olive farms of 75–100 ha, from a plane at 1525 m above the ground. Images (scale 1:10,000) were digitized, georeferenced and processed. Twenty-six selected vegetation indexes were assayed for land-use discrimination. Early summer was the most suitable time to distinguish between cover crops and olive trees. Conventional-colour was more adequate and economic than infrared photography. Indexes based on blue and red wavelength reflectivity values divided by combinations of several reflectivity values were suitable for cover crop and olive tree discrimination. Selected vegetation indexes allowed for the cover crop areas to be estimated at 32.50% of the 100.5 ha total farm surface, with an estimated accuracy of 91.9±1.4%.