Mapping rubber trees based on phenological analysis of Landsat time series data-sets

Abstract

This study proposes a strategy for accurate mapping of rubber trees through the analysis of Landsat time series datasets. The phenological dynamics of rubber trees were derived from the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to verify the three important phenological metrics of rubber trees; defoliation, foliation and their growing stages. A decade (2006–2015) ago, Landsat time series NDVIs were used to study the strength of relationship between rubber trees, evergreen trees and oil palm trees. Two important results that could discriminate these three types of vegetation were found; firstly, a weak relationship of NDVIs between rubber trees and evergreen trees during the defoliation period (r2 = 0.1358) and secondly between rubber trees and oil palm trees during the growing period (r2 = 0.2029). This analysis was verified using Support Vector Machine to map the distribution of the three types of vegetation. An accurate mapping strategy of rubber trees was successfully formulated.