Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving Vehicle
Climate change forecasts higher temperatures in urban environments worsening the urban heat island effect (UHI). Green infrastructure (GI) in cities could reduce the UHI by regulating and reducing ambient temperatures. Forest cities (i.e., Melbourne, Australia) aimed for large-scale planting of tree...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/1/295 |
| _version_ | 1797542378676944896 |
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| author | Sigfredo Fuentes Eden Tongson Claudia Gonzalez Viejo |
| author_facet | Sigfredo Fuentes Eden Tongson Claudia Gonzalez Viejo |
| author_sort | Sigfredo Fuentes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change forecasts higher temperatures in urban environments worsening the urban heat island effect (UHI). Green infrastructure (GI) in cities could reduce the UHI by regulating and reducing ambient temperatures. Forest cities (i.e., Melbourne, Australia) aimed for large-scale planting of trees to adapt to climate change in the next decade. Therefore, monitoring cities’ green infrastructure requires close assessment of growth and water status at the tree-by-tree resolution for its proper maintenance and needs to be automated and efficient. This project proposed a novel monitoring system using an integrated visible and infrared thermal camera mounted on top of moving vehicles. Automated computer vision algorithms were used to analyze data gathered at an Elm trees avenue in the city of Melbourne, Australia (<i>n</i> = 172 trees) to obtain tree growth in the form of effective leaf area index (<i>LAIe</i>) and tree water stress index (TWSI), among other parameters. Results showed the tree-by-tree variation of trees monitored (5.04 km) between 2016–2017. The growth and water stress parameters obtained were mapped using customized codes and corresponded with weather trends and urban management. The proposed urban tree monitoring system could be a useful tool for city planning and GI monitoring, which can graphically show the diurnal, spatial, and temporal patterns of change of <i>LAIe</i> and TWSI to monitor the effects of climate change on the GI of cities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:29:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2bf0b3d2b5fb4c59b082c82ef757cbe9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:29:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-2bf0b3d2b5fb4c59b082c82ef757cbe92023-11-21T08:07:41ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-01-0121129510.3390/s21010295Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving VehicleSigfredo Fuentes0Eden Tongson1Claudia Gonzalez Viejo2Digital Agriculture, Food and Wine Sciences Group, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, School of Agriculture and Food, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaDigital Agriculture, Food and Wine Sciences Group, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, School of Agriculture and Food, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaDigital Agriculture, Food and Wine Sciences Group, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, School of Agriculture and Food, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaClimate change forecasts higher temperatures in urban environments worsening the urban heat island effect (UHI). Green infrastructure (GI) in cities could reduce the UHI by regulating and reducing ambient temperatures. Forest cities (i.e., Melbourne, Australia) aimed for large-scale planting of trees to adapt to climate change in the next decade. Therefore, monitoring cities’ green infrastructure requires close assessment of growth and water status at the tree-by-tree resolution for its proper maintenance and needs to be automated and efficient. This project proposed a novel monitoring system using an integrated visible and infrared thermal camera mounted on top of moving vehicles. Automated computer vision algorithms were used to analyze data gathered at an Elm trees avenue in the city of Melbourne, Australia (<i>n</i> = 172 trees) to obtain tree growth in the form of effective leaf area index (<i>LAIe</i>) and tree water stress index (TWSI), among other parameters. Results showed the tree-by-tree variation of trees monitored (5.04 km) between 2016–2017. The growth and water stress parameters obtained were mapped using customized codes and corresponded with weather trends and urban management. The proposed urban tree monitoring system could be a useful tool for city planning and GI monitoring, which can graphically show the diurnal, spatial, and temporal patterns of change of <i>LAIe</i> and TWSI to monitor the effects of climate change on the GI of cities.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/1/295urban tree managementtree monitoringcomputer visiontree water stress indexleaf area index |
| spellingShingle | Sigfredo Fuentes Eden Tongson Claudia Gonzalez Viejo Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving Vehicle Sensors urban tree management tree monitoring computer vision tree water stress index leaf area index |
| title | Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving Vehicle |
| title_full | Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving Vehicle |
| title_fullStr | Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving Vehicle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving Vehicle |
| title_short | Urban Green Infrastructure Monitoring Using Remote Sensing from Integrated Visible and Thermal Infrared Cameras Mounted on a Moving Vehicle |
| title_sort | urban green infrastructure monitoring using remote sensing from integrated visible and thermal infrared cameras mounted on a moving vehicle |
| topic | urban tree management tree monitoring computer vision tree water stress index leaf area index |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/1/295 |
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