Automatic habitat classification methods based on satellite images: A practical assessment in the NW Iberia coastal mountains

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 2008-09, Vol.144 (1-3), p.229-250
• Main Authors: Díaz Varela, R. A, Ramil Rego, P, Calvo Iglesias, S, Muñoz Sobrino, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Classification; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecosystem; Ecosystems; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental policy; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fuzzy logic; General aspects; Geographic Information Systems; Geography; Habitats; Heterogeneity; Landsat; Likelihood Functions; Maximum likelihood; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Mountains; Natura 2000 habitats; Natural vegetation; Nearest neighbour; Normal distribution; Object oriented; Pixel oriented; Protected areas; Remote sensing; Satellite Communications; Sea water ecosystems; Spain; Studies; Supervised classification; Synecology; Vegetation
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-007-9981-y

Although remote sensing is increasingly in use for habitat mapping, traditional image classification methods tend to suffer shortcomings due to non-normality of spectral signatures, as well as overlapping and heterogeneity in radiometric responses of natural and semi natural vegetation. Methods using non-parametric classifiers and object-oriented analysis have been suggested as possible solutions for overcoming these limitations. In this paper, we aimed at evaluating the performance of some of these techniques for the European Natura 2000 network of protected areas habitats mapping. For this purpose, we tested different methods of supervised image classification in the Northern Mountains of Galicia, Spain, an area included in the Natura 2000 network, which is characterized by a highly heterogeneous landscape. Methods involved the use of maximum likelihood and nearest neighbour decision rules in per-pixel and per-object classification analyses on Landsat TM imagery. Per-object classifications were completed using the segment mean and segment means plus standard deviation feature spaces. The results showed the existence of significant differences in the accuracies for the different methodologies, their strengths and weaknesses and identified the most adequate approach for habitat mapping. Analyses pointed out that significant improvements in accuracy were achieved only under certain combinations of per-object analysis, non-parametric classifiers and high dimensionality feature space.