Article
Forestry
Martin Barrette, Nelson Thiffault, Isabelle Auger
Summary: This study aimed to assess whether the resilience of natural forests could jeopardize plantation productivity. The results showed that when the plantation scenario is not oriented in the same direction as resilience-driven successional trajectories, the resilience of natural forests could jeopardize plantation productivity. However, when the regime is oriented in the same direction as resilience-driven successional trajectories, it can enhance plantation productivity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Luiz Felipe Ramalho de Oliveira, H. Andrew Lassiter, Ben Wilkinson, Travis Whitley, Peter Ifju, Stephen R. Logan, Gary F. Peter, Jason G. Vogel, Timothy A. Martin
Summary: Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have rapidly advanced in technology, allowing for low-cost capture of high-resolution images for deriving three-dimensional photogrammetric point clouds. This study evaluates the quality of three-dimensional datasets from two cameras and one lidar sensor collected over a managed pine stand with different planting densities. The results show that the higher-quality camera photogrammetric data is sufficient for individual tree detection and height determination, but lidar data is best overall. The automated tree detection algorithm performed well with lidar data, but slightly fell short in comparison to manual mensuration within the lidar point cloud.
Article
Forestry
Huanxin Zhao, Yixiang Wang, Zhibin Sun, Qi Xu, Dan Liang
Summary: This study proposed a novel method for accurately obtaining the information on the locations and numbers of failures in new afforestation, providing technical support for precise management.
Review
Forestry
Riccardo Dainelli, Piero Toscano, Salvatore Filippo Di Gennaro, Alessandro Matese
Summary: The use of UAV-RS in forestry management is becoming increasingly popular due to its accuracy in obtaining information. However, there are still critical issues in transferring research products and practical applications, such as underutilization of hyperspectral sensors and lack of interoperability in sensors and platforms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mia T. Wavrek, Eric Carr, Sharon Jean-Philippe, Michael L. McKinney
Summary: We used drone remote sensing to analyze the relationship between field-collected forest health indicators and four Vegetative Indices (VI) in order to improve conservation management of urban forests. Our findings showed that the calculated VI values from drone imagery were significantly related to ecological concerns, forest composition, and equitability. Despite the limitations of the small number of plots, our results indicate the potential for drone remote sensing as a low-cost and efficient tool for urban forest management.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yue Hu, Zhuna Wang, Yahao Zhang, Yuanyong Dian
Summary: This study evaluates the performance of different combinations of spectral bands in detecting different logging patterns in a plantation forest using Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery and the random forest algorithm. The results show that adding red-edge and short-wave infrared bands improves the ability to detect clear-cutting and unlogged patterns, while full-spectrum bands enhance the detection accuracy of selective logging patterns.
Article
Ecology
Eleanor R. Tew, Greg J. Conway, Ian G. Henderson, David T. Milodowski, Tom Swinfield, William J. Sutherland
Summary: Widespread afforestation is crucial for climate mitigation strategies and presents an opportunity for biodiversity conservation. We conducted a comprehensive assessment on bird populations in forested landscapes and found that the age class of forest stands was the most important variable for bird diversity. Variables such as shrub density and gap fraction were also significantly associated with bird diversity. Tree species identity, however, did not have a significant impact. We recommend managers to focus on creating habitat diversity at the between-stand scale to maximize bird diversity.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Megan Winsen, Grant Hamilton
Summary: LiDAR has been the preferred tool for 3D dense point cloud reconstructions of forest canopy, but structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry based on aerial imagery has emerged as a powerful and low-cost alternative. However, comparing and assessing the accuracy of different reconstructions remains a challenge. This study compared LiDAR and SfM-NIR reconstructions of a native eucalypt forest and found that neither method accurately reproduced canopy cover or predicted tree heights. The LiDAR product showed better representation of the eucalypt canopy compared to SfM-NIR, which was affected by a lack of data and sub-optimal feature matching. Future studies could explore combining NIR imagery captured at different solar elevations and optimize image feature matching.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Deepak Gautam, Bertram Ostendorf, Vinay Pagay
Summary: The use of UAV technology allows for the estimation of seasonal crop coefficients (k(c)) at the single vine level to capture the spatial variability of water requirements in a commercial vineyard. Structural information shows the strongest correlation with k(c), and the random forest model predicts k(c) with the highest accuracy. When combined with an energy balance model, precision irrigation can be achieved on a weekly or sub-weekly basis.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yi Zhang, Dengsheng Lu, Xiandie Jiang, Yunhe Li, Dengqiu Li
Summary: In this study, the 3-PG model was optimized and calibrated using survey and UAV lidar data at the sample plot scale and applied at the forest sub-compartment scale. The results show that both survey forests age data and remote-sensing-derived forest age data can accurately estimate eucalyptus plantation parameters. The simulation results based on remote-sensed forest age data are significantly better than the ones based on survey data, providing an important reference for future studies using remote sensing-derived forest age data in large spatial scales.
Article
Ecology
Derek J. N. Young, Michael J. Koontz, JonahMaria Weeks
Summary: Recent advances in technology allow for individual tree mapping in forests using low-cost equipment and minimal data collection. Researchers tested different methods for collecting and processing imagery, as well as tree detection, and found an efficient and accurate method for creating tree maps.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Zhanghua Xu, Qi Zhang, Songyang Xiang, Yifan Li, Xuying Huang, Yiwei Zhang, Xin Zhou, Zenglu Li, Xiong Yao, Qiaosi Li, Xiaoyu Guo
Summary: By utilizing UAV remote sensing technology and machine learning algorithms, this study developed a detection model to study the damage caused to Moso bamboo forests by the Pantana phyllostachysae Chao (PPC). Experimental results showed that XGBoost performed the best, followed by RF and SVM. The study findings provide a technical reference for the regional monitoring and control of PPC in Moso bamboo.
Review
Plant Sciences
Parag Kadam, Puneet Dwivedi
Summary: Urban areas in the United States have been growing since the 1990s, and there is further projected growth. Recognizing sustainable urban forestry practices is crucial for enhancing the resilience and sustainability of cities. Current urban recognition systems lack robust verification procedures and detailed standardization compared to traditional forest certification systems, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive certification system in urban forestry.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alejandro Miranda, German Catalan, Adison Altamirano, Carlos Zamorano-Elgueta, Manuel Cavieres, Javier Guerra, Blas Mola-Yudego
Summary: The study evaluated the use of UAV technology for forest inventory in native forests in Southern Chile and successfully retrieved stand and tree-level attributes using structure from motion and digital aerial photogrammetry techniques. By comparing UAV imagery with ground data, it was found that the drone images accurately represented complex forest structures, leading to the development of individual-tree diameter models based on remote sensing data.
Review
Agronomy
Angelos Alexopoulos, Konstantinos Koutras, Sihem Ben Ali, Stefano Puccio, Alessandro Carella, Roberta Ottaviano, Athanasios Kalogeras
Summary: With the increasing global population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, there will be a rising demand for food production and agricultural resources. Transitioning to Agriculture 4.0 can enhance agricultural productivity, resource efficiency, long-term food security, and climate change resilience through advanced technologies and sustainable farming practices. By integrating ground IoT sensing, satellite sensing, and UAV technology, and utilizing data fusion and analytics, farming can transition to a more efficient, productive, and sustainable paradigm. This systematic literature review identifies challenges and discusses the complementary use of UAV, satellite, and ground sensing in agriculture for Precision Agriculture (PA) and the transition to Agriculture 4.0.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Salvatore Filippo Di Gennaro, Piero Toscano, Matteo Gatti, Stefano Poni, Andrea Berton, Alessandro Matese
Summary: Analysis of the spectral response of vegetation using optical sensors is crucial for non-destructive remote monitoring of crops. This study compares the performance of two commercial UAV-based products, DJI P4M and SENOP HSC-2, for acquiring multispectral and hyperspectral images in vineyards. The results show the importance of radiometric calibration using reference panels for multispectral images, and the higher accuracy of the hyperspectral camera. The use of segmentation techniques can resolve performance issues caused by mixed targets.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Manco, Paolo Ciccioli, Daniela Famulari, Federico Brilli, Piero Ciccioli, Paul Di Tommasi, Piero Toscano, Beniamino Gioli, Andrea Esposito, Vincenzo Magliulo
Summary: For the first time, the emission/deposition fluxes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and H2S from a historic closed landfill site in Southern Italy were analyzed. The results showed that the landfill emissions were influenced by photochemical degradation and could potentially affect nearby residents.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
L. Leolini, S. Bregaglio, F. Ginaldi, S. Costafreda-Aumedes, S. F. Di Gennaro, A. Matese, F. Maselli, G. Caruso, G. Palai, S. Bajocco, M. Bindi, M. Moriondo
Summary: The study used the spatial variability of grapevine intercepted radiation as input for a simulation model to estimate biomass accumulation and yield variability in two Tuscan vineyards. The results showed that incorporating high spatial resolution data into crop models can improve the estimation of sub-field heterogeneity in plant vigor and yield.
PRECISION AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Joaquim J. Sousa, Piero Toscano, Alessandro Matese, Salvatore Filippo Di Gennaro, Andrea Berton, Matteo Gatti, Stefano Poni, Luis Padua, Jonas Hruska, Raul Morais, Emanuel Peres
Summary: This study assesses the applicability and practicality of push-broom and snapshot hyperspectral sensors in the context of precision viticulture and provides reliable data collection protocols and methods. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, the performance of the two sensors is compared. The results show excellent geometrical quality for both technologies and facilitate information exchange within the UAV hyperspectral community through multi-site assessment.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Jorge Torres-Sanchez, Jefferson Souza, Salvatore Filippo di Gennaro, Francisco Javier Mesas-Carrascosa
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Giovanni Avola, Alessandro Matese, Ezio Riggi
Article
Agronomy
Riccardo Dainelli, Fabio Saracco
Summary: Satellite imagery is increasingly used in agriculture to minimize environmental impact and increase profits for farmers. This study analyzes scientific literature and Twitter data to understand the research structure and how scientific results are being disseminated. The analysis reveals that the USA and China are leading countries in this field, and identifies important keywords and emerging research topics. Additionally, it shows a lack of communication between academia and the public, with most Twitter activity coming from private companies.
Article
Remote Sensing
Salvatore Filippo Di Gennaro, Gian Luca Vannini, Andrea Berton, Riccardo Dainelli, Piero Toscano, Alessandro Matese
Summary: Since 2010, farmers have increasingly used remote sensing data from unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor crop status and field changes. This study proposes different approaches to identify and locate each vine within a vineyard using angled RGB images, allowing for precise assessment of missing vines. The results confirm the effectiveness of this methodology in decision-making processes for managing missing vines, ensuring the vineyard's productivity and the farmer's economic return.