Zastosowanie GIS i teledetekcji w badaniach szaty roślinnej

Abstract

Since 1972 scientists have access to a new source o f environmental data which is remote sensing initiated by Landsat 1 satellite. Satellite or aerial imagery provided by remote sensing equipment has many applications ranging from map rendering, prediction and estimation o f disaster effects to investigation o f vegetation. After Landsat 1 new platforms and sensors emerged together with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) as the technological development has been proceeding. GIS are computer systems aiding spatial data management and analysis. It allows to incorporate diverse digital and analogue data, e.g. GPS coordinates, maps and environmental data. Remote sensing o f vegetation utilizes mainly electromagnetic radiation from visible and infrared bands. Due to absorption of red and blue light for photosynthesis and high reflectance of infrared light by spongy mesophyll, vegetation can be distinguished on remotely sensed image by means of mathematical operations yielding so-called Vegetation Indices, e.g. NDVI. Vegetation Indices are significantly correlated with percentage vegetation cover, crop yields and plant vigor. In remote sensing o f vegetation various sensor types are used - aerial photos or satellite images provide different scale o f spatial and spectral detail, hence they are used in different types o f research. Remote sensing and GIS are powerful tools for vegetation mapping, invasive alien species monitoring, environmental protection management and many other applications.