Mapping peatland vegetation from readily available air-photographs: a field test from Northern Ireland

Abstract

Readily available black and while vertical photographs of the Garron Plateau, Co. Antrim were examined. On the basis of photo-physiognomy the vegetation was classified and mapped. These vegetation groupings were then examined in the field, the resulting quadrats being subjected to tabular comparison. Good agreement was found between the vegetation groupings derived by photo and field analysis. In the light of these findings, the use of air photographs in vegetation mapping for several purposes is discussed and evaluated.