Forest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imagery
Abstract Despite rapid advances and large-scale initiatives in forest mapping, reliable cross-border information about the status of forest resources in Central Asian countries is lacking. We produced consistent Central Asia forest cover (CAFC) maps based on a cost-efficient approach using multi-res...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2017-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01582-x |
| _version_ | 1818841183380570112 |
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| author | He Yin Asia Khamzina Dirk Pflugmacher Christopher Martius |
| author_facet | He Yin Asia Khamzina Dirk Pflugmacher Christopher Martius |
| author_sort | He Yin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Despite rapid advances and large-scale initiatives in forest mapping, reliable cross-border information about the status of forest resources in Central Asian countries is lacking. We produced consistent Central Asia forest cover (CAFC) maps based on a cost-efficient approach using multi-resolution satellite imagery from Landsat and MODIS during 2009–2011. The spectral-temporal metrics derived from 2009–2011 Landsat imagery (overall accuracy of 0.83) was used to predict sub-pixel forest cover on the MODIS scale for 2010. Accuracy assessment confirmed the validity of MODIS-based forest cover map with a normalized root-mean-square error of 0.63. A general paucity of forest resources in post-Soviet Central Asia was indicated, with 1.24% of the region covered by forest. In comparison to the CAFC map, a regional map derived from MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields tended to underestimate forest cover, while the Global Forest Change product matched well. The Global Forest Resources Assessments, based on individual country reports, overestimated forest cover by 1.5 to 147 times, particularly in the more arid countries of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Multi-resolution imagery contributes to regionalized assessment of forest cover in the world’s drylands while developed CAFC maps (available at https://data.zef.de/ ) aim to facilitate decisions on biodiversity conservation and reforestation programs in Central Asia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:22:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-73569d7740c14f769081f890eb2c1159 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:22:02Z |
| publishDate | 2017-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-73569d7740c14f769081f890eb2c11592022-12-21T20:36:08ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222017-05-017111110.1038/s41598-017-01582-xForest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imageryHe Yin0Asia Khamzina1Dirk Pflugmacher2Christopher Martius3Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of BonnDivision of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea UniversityGeography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinCenter for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)Abstract Despite rapid advances and large-scale initiatives in forest mapping, reliable cross-border information about the status of forest resources in Central Asian countries is lacking. We produced consistent Central Asia forest cover (CAFC) maps based on a cost-efficient approach using multi-resolution satellite imagery from Landsat and MODIS during 2009–2011. The spectral-temporal metrics derived from 2009–2011 Landsat imagery (overall accuracy of 0.83) was used to predict sub-pixel forest cover on the MODIS scale for 2010. Accuracy assessment confirmed the validity of MODIS-based forest cover map with a normalized root-mean-square error of 0.63. A general paucity of forest resources in post-Soviet Central Asia was indicated, with 1.24% of the region covered by forest. In comparison to the CAFC map, a regional map derived from MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields tended to underestimate forest cover, while the Global Forest Change product matched well. The Global Forest Resources Assessments, based on individual country reports, overestimated forest cover by 1.5 to 147 times, particularly in the more arid countries of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Multi-resolution imagery contributes to regionalized assessment of forest cover in the world’s drylands while developed CAFC maps (available at https://data.zef.de/ ) aim to facilitate decisions on biodiversity conservation and reforestation programs in Central Asia.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01582-x |
| spellingShingle | He Yin Asia Khamzina Dirk Pflugmacher Christopher Martius Forest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imagery Scientific Reports |
| title | Forest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imagery |
| title_full | Forest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imagery |
| title_fullStr | Forest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imagery |
| title_full_unstemmed | Forest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imagery |
| title_short | Forest cover mapping in post-Soviet Central Asia using multi-resolution remote sensing imagery |
| title_sort | forest cover mapping in post soviet central asia using multi resolution remote sensing imagery |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01582-x |
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