| Geo-referenced base map including Land Use and
Land Cover
including wetland attributed (wetland types) |
The Land Use Land Cover (LULC) map product includes a detailed
classification of all land parcels within the area of interest. The LULC product
includes classes of interest defined by the end users, which are presented using
a standardized classification scheme based on the Corine Land Cover system,
which has been adapted for use in wetlands.
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Land Use Land Cover Map (July 2003)
Littoral Audois, Southern France |
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Long and Short Term Change Detection |
The Long and Short Term Change Detection product compares the land use and land
cover between two dates which have been selected by the end user. The current
day LULC maps are used as a basis to compare with historical information.
Summary statistics and visualizations of the changes are produced to assist the
end users interpret changes that are occurring over their sites.
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Change Map (1986 - 2004)
Creston Valley, Western Canada |
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Water Cycle Regime |
The Water Cycle Regime product is based on the use of SAR (Synthetic Aperture
Radar) to detect seasonal changes in the water cycle over the same site.
Multi-temporal data is collected and processed to measure changes in water
bodies, providing minimum and maximum water extent statistics and
visualizations.
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Water Cycle Regime Change Map
(Sep 2004 to Nov 2004)
Littoral Audois, Southern France
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Wetland Identification, Delineation |
Delineation of wetlands, or lands that have the potential characteristics of
wetlands is an important task for identifying potential areas to prioritize for
protection. Using a combination of optical and SAR imagery, typically wet
vegetation at critical time periods during the year can be observed. Through
these observations, potential wetlands can be identified for end users.
Wetland identification and attributes (types) are included in the detailed LULC
maps, which have 5 levels of detail. Any known wetland land cover or land use
will be mapped as such in the LULC maps through assignment of the appropriate
class values. The Ramsar wetland types have classification equivalents at level
4 and additional classes which are more detailed are included at level 5.
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Wetland Identification (July 2005)
Nylvsley Floodplain, South Africa
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Topographic Dynamics (Coastline Erosion) and Subsidence Monitoring |
Certain wetland sites have expressed a need to monitor historical changes in the
coastline dynamics, as subsidence motion of the ground. These changes are
important indicators for the condition of the wetlands. Historical and current
day satellite imagery is used to measure changes in the coastline. In addition,
subsidence monitoring which is contributing to the erosion, can be measured
using InSAR, a technique which can measure mm level movement of the grounds
motion based on SAR data.
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RADARSAT-1 image (Jan 19, 2005)
Marais du Cotentin Bessin, Northern France |
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Digital Elevation Models (DEM) |
The ability of EO sensors to generate DEMs covering large areas at relatively
low cost is an important consideration in wetlands management. DEMs provide
significant information for a wetland site and can play a significant role in
- the delineation of the wetland catchment area
- visualization of wetlands information (i.e. 3D display)
- determination of high (i.e. flooded), low (i.e. drought) and mean
waterlevels
- determination of areas affected by toxic point discharges
- location of groundwater acquifers, recharge areas, vulnerability to
contamination
- estimation of soil moisture
- determination of land use capabilities
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Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
Prince Edward Island Nature Reserve,
South Africa, |
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Peatland Fire Scar Mapping |
Peat Fires are becoming an increasing problem worldwide. Due to the high carbon
content of the peat biomass, huge amounts of aerosols, different trace gases and
carbon are released into the atmosphere with negative effects on human health
and global warming. Mutli-temporal optical imagery will be used to detect fire
scars, and identify areas which are recovering from such damaging peat fires
occurring in Russia.
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Peatland Fire Scar (Sep 2005)
Dubna, Central Russia
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Biophysical Parameters including: water colour, water sediment, chlorophyll
concentration, evapotranspiration, water and land surface temperature |
Biophysical parameters such as water colour ; water sediment, chlorophyll
concentration, evapotranspiration rates and water surface temperature have been
successfully measured in ocean and coastal regions. In general however, these
parameters have not been successfully measured in wetland areas because no
commercial sensors exist that can provide both the spatial and radiometric
resolution required for small water bodies. Satellite sensors either have high
radiometric resolution combined with medium/low spatial resolution (e.g.
Hyperion) or high spatial resolution combined with low radiometirc resolution
(e.g. IKONOS and Quickbird). As sensor capabilities improve, accurate
biophysical parameter estimates may be feasible.
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Suspended Sediments,
St. Lucia Estuary, South Africa |
