Automated delineation and detection of tree crowns of Persian oak on UltraCam-D images using local maximum filtering algorithm for delineation and detection of the crowns of Persian Oak trees
Subject Areas : natural resorcesHamed Sadeghian 1 , Alireza Salehi 2 * , Zahra Azizi 3
1 - MSc. Student of forestry, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Yasouj, Yasuj, Iran. *(Corresponding Author)
2 - Associate Prof., Department of Forest Science and Engineering, Faculty *(Corresponding Author)of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran.
3 - Associate Prof., Department of Natural Resources and Environment, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Keywords: Delineation and detection algorithm, Quercus brantii, Ultra Cam-D image, Remote sensing.,
Abstract :
Background and Objective: Remote sensing images provide a good opportunity to be analyzed automatically the features of the forests. This study aims to evaluate the use of an automatic algorithm under the name of the local maximum filter to determine and recognize the crown area of Persian oak trees, using Ultra Cam-D aerial imageries, in comparison to the results of visual interpretation of images and measurements on the field.
Material and Methodology: Crown area of 100 Persian oak trees selected randomly in the forest, also recognizable in aerial images, were measured and calculated by mentioned methods, while the results of the visual interpretation was considered as the control method. The local maximum filtering algorithm was programmed, using Matlab R2014b software. This program was used to diagnose the number of peaks of a crown and to determine the area of that.
Findings: Using ANOVA analysis, no significant differences were observed between the mean values of canopy resulted by these methods. The RMSEs for estimating the accuracy of the local maximum filtering and the field measurement method in comparison to the visual interpretation methods were obtained 5.82% and 6.08 %, respectively. The overall accuracy and kappa coefficient associated with the estimation by the algorithm to determine the numbers of peaks of tree crowns are 64% and 59%, respectively.
Discussion and Conclusion: The use of local maximum filtering algorithm for determining the canopy of Persian oak trees could be recommended.
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