Analysis of vegetation from satellite images correlated to the bird species presence and the state of health of the ecosystems of Bucharest during the period from 1991 to 2006

Abstract

The urban vegetation needs adequate monitoring and conservation, being a critical resource of urban landscape. To its deeply esthetic values, the practical values and, respectively, ecosystem services delivered by the urban biodiversity are added (amelioration of the environment and urban microclimate, flood control, diminishing of the environmental pollution, increasing of biodiversity and habitats etc.). Accurate remote sensing techniques have been used widely in locating and mapping urban vegetation (Light Detection And Ranging-LiDAR, satellite images). The purpose of this study is to point out the vegetation status in correlation with the number of the bird species (as indicator of the ecosystem's health), using remote sensing techniques (Landsat satellite images), between 1991-2006 in Bucharest, Romania's capital. Rapid urban evolution of Bucharest led to important changes within the structure of the city, underlined by the increasing of the built area to the detriment of the green one. The intensity of the urbanization rate also led to the decreasing of the number of the bird species. The results obtained through analysis of satellite images indicate the necessity to acquire the up-to-date information related to the vegetation status in order to establish in the future, through urban landscape projects, protection measures for the vegetation cover and for the bird habitats in Bucharest Municipality.