Automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning

Leaf vein network geometry can predict levels of resource transport, defence, and mechanical support that operate at different spatial scales. However, it is challenging to quantify network architecture across scales, due to the difficulties both in segmenting networks from images, and in extracting...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xu, H, Blonder, B, Jodra, M, Malhi, Y, Fricker, MD
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020
_version_ 1826296772732911616
author Xu, H
Blonder, B
Jodra, M
Malhi, Y
Fricker, MD
author_facet Xu, H
Blonder, B
Jodra, M
Malhi, Y
Fricker, MD
author_sort Xu, H
collection OXFORD
description Leaf vein network geometry can predict levels of resource transport, defence, and mechanical support that operate at different spatial scales. However, it is challenging to quantify network architecture across scales, due to the difficulties both in segmenting networks from images, and in extracting multi‐scale statistics from subsequent network graph representations. Here we develop deep learning algorithms using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to automatically segment leaf vein networks. Thirty‐eight CNNs were trained on subsets of manually‐defined ground‐truth regions from >700 leaves representing 50 southeast Asian plant families. Ensembles of 6 independently trained CNNs were used to segment networks from larger leaf regions (~100 mm2). Segmented networks were analysed using hierarchical loop decomposition to extract a range of statistics describing scale transitions in vein and areole geometry. The CNN approach gave a precision‐recall harmonic mean of 94.5% ± 6%, outperforming other current network extraction methods, and accurately described the widths, angles, and connectivity of veins. Multi‐scale statistics then enabled identification of previously undescribed variation in network architecture across species. We provide a LeafVeinCNN software package to enable multi‐scale quantification of leaf vein networks, facilitating comparison across species and exploration of the functional significance of different leaf vein architectures.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T04:21:30Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:cb2cbb7d-e482-4e9f-8878-804e7d211cfb
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T04:21:30Z
publishDate 2020
publisher Wiley
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:cb2cbb7d-e482-4e9f-8878-804e7d211cfb2022-03-27T07:12:58ZAutomated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learningJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:cb2cbb7d-e482-4e9f-8878-804e7d211cfbEnglishSymplectic ElementsWiley2020Xu, HBlonder, BJodra, MMalhi, YFricker, MDLeaf vein network geometry can predict levels of resource transport, defence, and mechanical support that operate at different spatial scales. However, it is challenging to quantify network architecture across scales, due to the difficulties both in segmenting networks from images, and in extracting multi‐scale statistics from subsequent network graph representations. Here we develop deep learning algorithms using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to automatically segment leaf vein networks. Thirty‐eight CNNs were trained on subsets of manually‐defined ground‐truth regions from >700 leaves representing 50 southeast Asian plant families. Ensembles of 6 independently trained CNNs were used to segment networks from larger leaf regions (~100 mm2). Segmented networks were analysed using hierarchical loop decomposition to extract a range of statistics describing scale transitions in vein and areole geometry. The CNN approach gave a precision‐recall harmonic mean of 94.5% ± 6%, outperforming other current network extraction methods, and accurately described the widths, angles, and connectivity of veins. Multi‐scale statistics then enabled identification of previously undescribed variation in network architecture across species. We provide a LeafVeinCNN software package to enable multi‐scale quantification of leaf vein networks, facilitating comparison across species and exploration of the functional significance of different leaf vein architectures.
spellingShingle Xu, H
Blonder, B
Jodra, M
Malhi, Y
Fricker, MD
Automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning
title Automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning
title_full Automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning
title_fullStr Automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning
title_full_unstemmed Automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning
title_short Automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning
title_sort automated and accurate segmentation of leaf venation networks via deep learning
work_keys_str_mv AT xuh automatedandaccuratesegmentationofleafvenationnetworksviadeeplearning
AT blonderb automatedandaccuratesegmentationofleafvenationnetworksviadeeplearning
AT jodram automatedandaccuratesegmentationofleafvenationnetworksviadeeplearning
AT malhiy automatedandaccuratesegmentationofleafvenationnetworksviadeeplearning
AT frickermd automatedandaccuratesegmentationofleafvenationnetworksviadeeplearning