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Estimating Stem Volume Using QuickBird Imagery and Allometric Relationships for Open Populus xiaohei Plantations
Author(s) -
Wang XiaoQing,
Li ZengYuan,
Liu XingE,
Deng Guang,
Jiang ZeHui
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of integrative plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.734
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1744-7909
pISSN - 1672-9072
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7909.2007.00528.x
Subject(s) - allometry , volume (thermodynamics) , forestry , geography , biology , ecology , physics , quantum mechanics
There has been a great deal of interest in studying the crown of trees using remote sensing data. In this study, crown width was extracted from high‐resolution QuickBird images for open Populus xiaohei plantations. Regression models for predicting the individual stem volumes of Populus xiaohei were established using extracted crown width, as well as estimated tree parameters (i.e. diameter at breast height [DBH] and tree height) as predictors. Our results indicated that crown width could be accurately extracted from QuickBird images using a multi‐scale segmentation approach with a mean relative error of 5.74%, especially for wide‐spacing stands. Using either extracted crown width alone or with estimated DBH and tree height can successfully estimate individual stem volume of Populus xiaohei with the R 2 value ranging from 0.87 to 0.92 depending on different model forms. In particular, the two second‐order polynomial models (model 2 and model 6), based on QuickBird image‐derived crown widths and estimated DBH and tree heights, respectively, were the best at describing the relationship between stem volume and tree characteristics.