RT journal article
T1 UAV-Hyperspectral Imaging to Estimate Species Distribution in Salt Marshes: A Case Study in the Cadiz Bay (SW Spain)
A1 Curcio, Andrea Celeste
A1 Barbero González, Luis Carlos
A1 Peralta González, Gloria
A2 Biología
A2 Ciencias de la Tierra
K1 coastal marsh
K1 continuum removal
K1 hyperspectral
K1 spectral signatures
K1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
K1 vegetation species discrimination
K1 second derivative transformation
AB Salt marshes are one of the most productive ecosystems and provide numerous ecosystemservices. However, they are seriously threatened by human activities and sea level rise. One ofthe main characteristics of this environment is the distribution of specialized plant species. Theenvironmental conditions governing the distribution of this vegetation, as well as its variationover time and space, still need to be better understood. In this way, these ecosystems will bemanaged and protected more effectively. Low-altitude remote sensing techniques are excellentfor rapidly assessing salt marsh vegetation coverage. By applying a high-resolution hyperspectralimaging system onboard a UAV (UAV-HS), this study aims to differentiate between plant speciesand determine their distribution in salt marshes, using the salt marshes of Cadiz Bay as a casestudy. Hyperspectral processing techniques were used to find the purest spectral signature ofeach species. Continuum removal and second derivative transformations of the original spectralsignatures highlight species-specific spectral absorption features. Using these methods, it is possibleto differentiate salt marsh plant species with adequate precision. The elevation range occupied bythese species was also estimated. Two species of Sarcocornia spp. were identified on the Cadiz Baysalt marsh, along with a class for Sporobolus maritimus. An additional class represents the transitionareas from low to medium marsh with different proportions of Sarcocornia spp. and S. maritimus.S. maritimus can be successfully distinguished from soil containing microphytobenthos. The finalspecies distribution map has up to 96% accuracy, with 43.5% of the area occupied by medium marshspecies (i.e., Sarcocornia spp.) in the 2.30–2.80 m elevation range, a 29% transitional zone covering in1.91–2.78 m, and 25% covered by S. maritims (1.22–2.35 m). Basing a method to assess the vulnerabilityof the marsh to SLR scenarios on the relationship between elevation and species distribution wouldallow prioritizing areas for rehabilitation. UAV-HS techniques have the advantage of being easilycustomizable and easy to execute (e.g., following extreme events or taking regular measurements).The UAV-HS data is expected to improve our understanding of coastal ecosystem responses, as wellas increase our capacity to detect small changes in plant species distribution through monitoring.
PB MDPI
SN 2072-4292
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32472
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32472
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 06-nov-2026