Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods

Tree height is an important parameter for calculating forest carbon sink and assessing forest carbon cycle. In order to obtain forest tree height over a large area both efficiently and at a low cost, this study proposed an Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) combined with a machine lear...

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Main Authors: Xinyi Liu, Li He, Zhengwei He, Yun Wei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Forests
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1282
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author Xinyi Liu
Li He
Zhengwei He
Yun Wei
author_facet Xinyi Liu
Li He
Zhengwei He
Yun Wei
author_sort Xinyi Liu
collection DOAJ
description Tree height is an important parameter for calculating forest carbon sink and assessing forest carbon cycle. In order to obtain forest tree height over a large area both efficiently and at a low cost, this study proposed an Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) combined with a machine learning method to estimate the tree canopy height. The forest height in the study area was obtained using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry, which was considered to be the true canopy height. Two machine learning methods (Random Forest, Multi-layer perceptron) were used to establish the relationship between phase center height calculated by InSAR DEM differential interference method and coherent amplitude method with true canopy height. The topographic factor, backward scattering coefficient and coherence coefficient were introduced into the relationship model. It was found that the accuracy of tree height estimation using random forest and two InSAR methods can reach 0.95 and 0.94. The root-mean-square error was 1.76 m, 1.86 m, respectively. The accuracy of tree height estimation using multi-layer perceptron and two InSAR methods was 0.25 and 0.2. The root-mean-square error was 3.96 m and 4.13 m. The results indicated that the combination of InSAR and machine learning can estimate canopy height efficiently and at a low cost. Moreover, the integrated learning algorithm random forest demonstrated better stability and higher accuracy than the single learning algorithm multi-layer perceptron.
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spelling doaj.art-ba54a9fb0023492d938936f71b94cc032023-12-03T13:40:58ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-08-01138128210.3390/f13081282Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning MethodsXinyi Liu0Li He1Zhengwei He2Yun Wei3State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaTree height is an important parameter for calculating forest carbon sink and assessing forest carbon cycle. In order to obtain forest tree height over a large area both efficiently and at a low cost, this study proposed an Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) combined with a machine learning method to estimate the tree canopy height. The forest height in the study area was obtained using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry, which was considered to be the true canopy height. Two machine learning methods (Random Forest, Multi-layer perceptron) were used to establish the relationship between phase center height calculated by InSAR DEM differential interference method and coherent amplitude method with true canopy height. The topographic factor, backward scattering coefficient and coherence coefficient were introduced into the relationship model. It was found that the accuracy of tree height estimation using random forest and two InSAR methods can reach 0.95 and 0.94. The root-mean-square error was 1.76 m, 1.86 m, respectively. The accuracy of tree height estimation using multi-layer perceptron and two InSAR methods was 0.25 and 0.2. The root-mean-square error was 3.96 m and 4.13 m. The results indicated that the combination of InSAR and machine learning can estimate canopy height efficiently and at a low cost. Moreover, the integrated learning algorithm random forest demonstrated better stability and higher accuracy than the single learning algorithm multi-layer perceptron.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1282InSARcanopy heightmachine learningUAVbroadleaf forestWolong Nature Reserve
spellingShingle Xinyi Liu
Li He
Zhengwei He
Yun Wei
Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods
Forests
InSAR
canopy height
machine learning
UAV
broadleaf forest
Wolong Nature Reserve
title Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods
title_full Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods
title_fullStr Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods
title_full_unstemmed Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods
title_short Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods
title_sort estimation of broadleaf tree canopy height of wolong nature reserve based on insar and machine learning methods
topic InSAR
canopy height
machine learning
UAV
broadleaf forest
Wolong Nature Reserve
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1282
work_keys_str_mv AT xinyiliu estimationofbroadleaftreecanopyheightofwolongnaturereservebasedoninsarandmachinelearningmethods
AT lihe estimationofbroadleaftreecanopyheightofwolongnaturereservebasedoninsarandmachinelearningmethods
AT zhengweihe estimationofbroadleaftreecanopyheightofwolongnaturereservebasedoninsarandmachinelearningmethods
AT yunwei estimationofbroadleaftreecanopyheightofwolongnaturereservebasedoninsarandmachinelearningmethods