Satellite Image Analysis Research Articles

A Channel Pruning Optimization With Layer-Wise Sensitivity in a Single-Shot Manner Under Computational Constraints

In the constrained computing environments such as mobile device or satellite on-board system, various computational factors of hardware resource can restrict the processing of deep learning (DL) services. Recent DL models such as satellite image analysis mainly require larger resource memory occupation for intermediate feature map footprint than the given memory specification of hardware resource and larger computational overhead (in FLOP) to meet service-level objective in the sense of hardware accelerator. As one of the solutions, we propose a new method of controlling the layer-wise channel pruning in a single-shot manner that can decide how much channels to prune in each layer by observing dataset once without full pretraining. To improve the robustness of the performance degradation, we also propose a layer-wise sensitivity and formulate the optimization problems for deciding layer-wise pruning ratio under target computational constraints. In the paper, the optimal conditions are theoretically derived, and the practical optimum searching schemes are proposed using the optimal conditions. On the empirical evaluation, the proposed methods show robustness on performance degradation, and present feasibility on DL serving under constrained computing environments by reducing memory occupation, providing acceleration effect and throughput improvement while keeping the accuracy performance.

Drivers of wildfire burn severity in the montane rainforests of northern Vietnam

Background Fire impacts and drivers of wildfire burn severity remain poorly understood for tropical forests. Aims To assess variation and environmental drivers of burn severity for nine forest fires in northern Vietnam. Methods Burn severity was estimated from satellite image analyses, and associations with a remotely sensed index of annual fuel production, topographic factors (elevation, slope, aspect) and weather variables (temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, wind speed) were evaluated. Key results High severity burn areas were found to be fairly uncommon and were associated with steeper, south-west facing slopes, higher elevations and lower fuel abundance. There was a weak tendency for higher burn severity on days with lower relative humidity. Conclusions Conditions that increase fire intensity and the dryness and flammability of fuels are important contributors to high severity fires in wet tropical systems. However, the pattern of higher burn severity at high elevation, where forests tend to be denser and more humid, is counter to this interpretation and may be due to species compositional changes and greater vulnerability of high-elevation forests to fire impacts. Implications Better understanding of fire risk and where in the montane forests of northern Vietnam fires are most likely to burn at high severity will assist forest fire management and recovery strategies.

CloudViT: A Lightweight Vision Transformer Network for Remote Sensing Cloud Detection

Clouds inevitably exist in satellite images, which limit the processing and application of satellite images to a certain extent. Therefore, cloud detection is a preprocessing task in satellite image extraction and analysis processing. However, the existing methods are difficult to mine robust features, and the number of parameters and computation are large, which is not conducive to the deployment of the model. In this letter, cloud vision transformer (CloudViT), a lightweight vision transformer network for cloud detection from satellite imagery, is proposed. In detail, to utilize dark channel priors in multispectral imagery to guide the network to learn features, a multiscale dark channel extractor is used to first predict dark channels, and then, the dark channel features and image features are input to the attention mechanism-based dark channel-guided context aggregation module to enhance image features, which in turn makes cloud detection results more accurate. At the same time, to enhance the transfer ability of the network between different satellite sensors, a plug-and-play channel adaptive module is proposed to deal with the inconsistency of the number of different satellite sensor bands. The experimental results on the Landsat7 dataset show that our network CloudViT outperforms the state-of-the-art methods while keeping the number of parameters and computation small. At the same time, the experimental results on transfer to three other datasets show that using the channel adaptation module can greatly improve the transfer ability of the model.

Современные данные о змееяде в Нижегородской области

The article presents current results of a study of Short-Toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) distribution, abundance, and ecology in Nizhny Novgorod region. We designed a network of auto routes to survey the area and subsequently covered it in a four-wheel drive vehicle combined with walking through upland bogs and forest margins by foot. Observations were carried out in 30 districts of the region. Hunting Short-Toed Eagles were observed from natural hills through binoculars. Nests were detected based on adult birds’ observations and analysis of satellite images of the surveyed areas. Photo and video recording of birds and nests was carried out using a SLR camera and a quadcopter. In 2015–2023 observations were carried out on 49 breeding territories. A combination of various swamps, burnt areas, and clearings (n=19; 39%) and typical upland bogs associated with pine forests (n=16; 33%) are optimal biotopes for Short-Toed Eagle. However, Short-Toed Eagle occupies both floodplain meadows (n=7; 14%) and fallow lands (n=5; 10%) in the Nizhny Novgorod region, provided that these biotopes are combined with pine forests. Breading territories are least likely to be located in depleted peat quarries (n=2; 4%). Due to peculiarities of the species ecology (vast breeding territories and nests that are difficult to detect), not a single nest was found in the region until 2016. Currently Short-Toed Eagle breeding has been reliably confirmed on eight breeding territories. We found nine nests located on pines. Variants of nest location architectonics are the following: in the upper whorl of a flattened crown (n=6), on side branches in the central part of the crown (n=2), on the “witch's broom” at the top of the tree (n=1). Reproduction timing is recorded from April 20 (the earliest date of egg laying) to August 10 (nestling remains in the nest). Short-Toed Eagle tends to change nests every season. The repeated reproduction in the same nest was recorded for one pair only, and both attempts were unsuccessful. Only Common European vipers and Grass snakes were reliably identified among the prey brought to the nest (n=24). We repeatedly noted neighbouring pairs interacting at borders of breeding territories, furthermore, we observed Short-Toed Eagles’ conflicts with Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) (n=6) and Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) (n=1) during the breeding period. We were able to draw conclusions based on the results of long-term observations on a typical elliptic shape of a Short-Toed Eagle breeding territory with the nest located in one of its focuses. The main route birds took from the nest to hunting grounds runs along the major axis of the ellipse. Short-Toed Eagles hunt in the immediate vicinity of the nests only in bad weather conditions or in case of unsuccessful breeding, when long flights for prey become rare. The longest recorded distance a hunting bird travelled from its nest was 7.2 km. The shortest distance between two neighboring nests is 3.9 km. The current Short-Toed Eagle abundance in the Nizhny Novgorod region is estimated at 80–90 breeding pairs, which is about five times higher than the estimate of the abundance given in the Red Data Book of the Nizhny Novgorod region in 2014. This increase is affected less by the actual dynamic in the number of species because of changes in habitats (formation of extensive burnt areas and overgrown fallows) and more due to special research efforts. We can assume that estimates of the Short-Toed Eagle population in areas adjacent to the Nizhny Novgorod region were repeatedly undervalued. Given the specifics of ecology (stenophage species, consumer of the 3rd–4th order, low breeding potential, the highest size class), this species continues to require increased attention and preservation of a high conservation status.

An Efficient Ontology Based Machine Learning for Classifying High Definition Satellite Images (Chandrayaan-3)

The analysis of satellite images to determine the kind of land, forest cover, plant type, and other aspects of a particular image has become a standard practice. Object-based image classification for land-cover mapping with remote-sensing data has received a lot of interest in recent years. Several researches have looked into a range of sensors, feature extraction, classifiers, and other important elements throughout the last decade. These data, however, have yet to be gathered into a complete reference on the implications of different guided object-based land-cover categorization methods. To solve this issue, we provide an ontology-based conceptual UKNN classification algorithm in this study. We create an 18-field database from the rit18 database's qualitative and quantitative data in this research. Instead of unexplainable characteristics provided by a CNN, this proposed study uses an ontology-based methodology framework to enable picture classification using features extracted from hyper spectral image data. The image is initially given a Gaussian filter. The suggested UNet K nearest neighbours (UKNN) classifier is utilised to translate the ontology components into image-based parameters, which are then used to improve the classification process. When a typical support vector machine (SVM) is compared to UKNN, we find that UKNN outperforms SVM in classification accuracy

Morphological approach for the typological classification of waterfront revitalization

Researchers from multiple disciplines have proposed classification systems for waterfront transformations: generational (according to the date of their construction) and functional (based on the function assigned to the land post-harbor use). However, an analysis based on the spatial features of the former port areas and their meaning for the waterfront transformation has been missing. This contribution is an attempt to fill this gap by proposing a classification based on morphological approach. It uses selected case studies based on cluster sampling method, following a fractal reading approach of the waterfronts, to capture a representative sample and to generalize the study following a deductive logic. Using satellite images and maps, this article first identifies the areas where the waterfront was revitalized and then it analyzes the type and function of these spaces according to the classical classifications existing in the literature on the subject. A morphological approach used as methodology framework was based on the analysis of satellite images and the cartography of the waterfront areas with simplification algorithm on ArcGIS. The resulting morphological classification of waterfront transformations reveals the relationship between the built form of the former port areas, classified here as convex, concave, or linear spaces, and the kind of revitalization type respectively classified as ribbon-shaped, convergence, or dilatation. The conclusions about the relationships between the built form available for waterfront transformations and the most appropriate type of revitalization can provide concrete indications for a sustainable future transformation of port cities, especially cities whose reconversion is lagging behind.

Formation and modification of wrinkle ridges in the central Tharsis region of Mars as constrained by detailed geomorphological mapping and landsystem analysis

Wrinkle ridges are common landforms documented on all rocky planets and the Moon in the inner solar system. Despite the long research history, their formation mechanisms remain debated. A key unresolved issue is whether the wrinkle-ridge formation is related to igneous processes. This is because wrinkle ridges are mostly associated in space and possibly in time with the occurrence of flood-basalt volcanism in all cases on the rocky bodies in the inner solar system. To address this issue, we conducted geomorphological mapping, a topographic-data analysis, and a detailed landform analysis of satellite images at a resolution of 25 cm/pixel to 6 m/pixel in the central Tharsis region of Mars. The main results of this work are in the form of (1) a regional geomorphological map at a resolution of 6 m/pixel and (2) a local geomorphological map at a resolution of 50 cm/pixel. Our work suggests the following sequence of geological events in the study area: (1) formation of a northeast-trending mountain range (i.e., the Thaumasia plateau) along the eastern margin of the Tharsis rise resulting from the Himalayan-style crustal-scale thrusting; (2) coeval volcanic-plateau construction west of the thrusting-induced rising mountain range; (3) termination of east-flowing lavas sourced from the volcanic plateau at the rising mountain range to the east; (4) wrinkle-ridge development by folding in recently emplaced warm, ductile volcanic-lava piles; (5) emplacement of a regionally extensive ice sheet over the central Tharsis region that produced extensive boulder-bearing materials, striated surfaces, and boulder-bearing dendritic-ridge networks possibly representing glacial eskers; and (6) deposition of locally highly concentrated glacial flours during deglaciation that resulted in the formation of mantled terrain on plains between wrinkle ridges. Our work supports the early suggestion that the Tharsis wrinkle ridges were created by horizontal shortening induced by crustal-scale tectonic processes. In detail, however, the occurrence of flow-front-like margins of many mapped wrinkle ridges suggests their formation by ductile deformation, which we attribute to the thermally weakened lava piles emplaced during or immediately before the folding event. Our compression-induced wrinkle-ridge model also differs from the early hypotheses in that the thin-skinned folding is associated with basement subduction, which explains the lack of coeval and parallel folding and extensional faulting. Post-folding glacial modification means that the present wrinkle-ridge morphologies may differ significantly from the original fold shapes, which prevents the utility of using present-day topographic profiles across wrinkle ridges for inverting the underlying thrust geometries.

НОВЫЕ ПАМЯТНИКИ СТЕПНОЙ КУЛУНДЫ

The article publishes information about three previously unknown sites of archaeology, identified by the author during his trips along the highway A-321 Barnaul-Pavlovsk-border with the Republic of Kazakhstan. The objects “Rodino-1, barrow group” and “Kayaushka-2, barrow group” were found on the territory of the Rodinsky district of the Altai Territory, and the “Sidorovka-1, barrow group Site” in the Romanovsky district of the region. Based on the results of visual inspection and analysis of satellite images of the territory, a description of these objects is given, and their possible dating is proposed. In conclusion, the author notes that all the identified burial mounds have already suffered greatly from anthropogenic activity (plowing) and, in the future, there is a threat of their complete loss.

Is the Lesser Khingan Suitable for the Amur Tiger Restoration? Perspectives with the Current State of the Habitat and Prey Base

The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris) has a status of being endangered on the world's IUCN red list. The northwestern part of its range is situated in Russia and China, where tigers were exterminated by humans in the 1950-1970s. To restore tiger population within a historical range, an estimation of the habitat suitability is firstly needed. The Lesser Khingan mountains (Heilongjiang) was analyzed. Habitat types were mapped by satellite images analysis and field proven. The potential habitats of the main tiger's prey species (wild boar (Sus scrofa), roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), and red deer (Cervus elaphus xanthopygus) were also assessed. Maximum entropy and linear discriminant analysis methods were applied and compared for species distribution modeling (SDM). Species distribution maps were used to design an ecological network. The fragmentation of habitat patches was evaluated by spatial ecological metrics. The habitat patches with the best metrics were assigned as cores for the ecological network, which were connected by calculated corridors. The least cost distance method (based on distance to roads and settlements) was used. The recovery of the Amur tiger in habitats of China's Lesser Khingan is shown to be possible. Types of habitats were calculated as natural corridors for moving tigers. They are mainly located at the forests' edges and characterized with various canopy structures and high variability in the tree species composition. Three potential transboundary corridors are described: (a) foothills and low mountains of the northern Lesser Khingan; (b) connection between the southeast Lesser Khingan and the western part of the Wandashan mountain system; and (c) corridor within foothills and low mountains of the eastern part of Lesser Khingan. It is recommended to establish protected areas for the important tiger core habitats, and the main optimal ways for their migrations are described during the current investigation. Moreover, it is necessary to implement habitat recovery activities for key areas.

ANALISIS DAMPAK KERUSAKAN INFRASTRUKTUR AKIBAT LIKUIFAKSI DI PALU

The objectives of this study was to (1) analyze infrastructure damages (buildings and roads) due to liquefaction based on Open Street Map (OSM) data, (2) analyze spatial distribution patterns of infrastructure damage due to liquefaction, (3) analyze the characteristics of satellite imagery before and after liquefaction based on the time series (sentinel 2) satellite image index. The results showed that the Petobo was the most affected by liquefaction, with a percentage of damage in roads is 83.7% and buildings is 99.68%. Then the results was obtained from the spatial spread analysis of pattern have been analyzed and mapped with the heatmap method and the 100mmx100m grid method. The tendency of the distribution pattern of buildings (Petobo, Balaroa, and Jono Oge) follows the standard distance ellips method, while the distribution of buildings (Lolu) follows the standard distance pattern. Furthermore, the results of the spatial analysis of NDVI satellite images show the colors shading that indicate vegetation or the level of density (greening) on a land where the green color indicates the density on a land. While the results of the spatial analysis of NDWI images explain the distribution of colors that show humidity in a land.

Monitoring of River Estuary Turbidity using Satellite Image Analysis and Its Correlation to Rainfall (A Case Study of the Krueng River in Aceh, Indonesia)

Activities along the Krueng Aceh river such as port activities, fisheries, ship breeding, tourist attractions, market activities and settlements cause a lot of domestic waste in the environment around the river and affect river clarity and increase the concentration of turbidity. High turbidity in rivers can affect the entry of light into the waters because light has an important role in the photosynthesis process. The method of monitoring water quality can be done by remote sensing because it has several advantages such as being able to carry out measurements on a larger scale for a long time, relatively quickly, and reducing the amount of costs incurred. Monitoring the Krueng Aceh River is carried out using remote sensing technology using Sentinel-2 imagery. This study aims to obtain the value of the distribution of turbidity by analyzing satellite imagery and its correlation with rainfall, and to determine the value of the distribution of turbidity, Total Suspended Solid (TSS), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), and Power of Hydrogen (pH) in the Krueng Aceh River. The results showed that sentinel-2 image analysis got the lowest turbidity on September 6, 2021, which was -0.992424, and the highest on October 5, 2019 which was 0.248641. The distribution of water quality is known to have the highest turbidity concentration obtained at sampling location point 1, which was 107.9 NTU. The highest concentration of TSS was found at sampling locations 1, 4, and 7, which was 400 mg/l. The highest TDS concentration was found at point location 1, which was 1,413 mg/l. The pH concentration at the Krueng Aceh River sampling location has met the quality standards set in PP No. 82 of 2021

Marine habitats and related fishery resources in Ly Son and adjacent waters in the Northern part of Quang Ngai province

The study assessed the distribution of key marine habitats and related fishery resources and spawning and nursery grounds of target species in the waters of Ly Son islands and adjacent locations of Tra Bong and Sa Ky estuaries using data from analysis of the Sentinel-2 satellite image and ground-truthing. There were about 1,787 ha of coral reefs, 117.3 ha of seagrass beds, and 309 ha of nipa palm (Nypa fruticans) distributed in this area, in which the water surrounding Ly Son marine protected area (MPA) supported more than 1,706 ha of coral reefs and 116 ha of seagrass beds. The area also supported 12 nursery grounds of 10 target resources, including giant trevally, mangrove-red snapper, orange-spotted spinefoot, orange-spotted grouper, malabar grouper, barramundi related to nipa palms in Tra Bong and Sa Ky estuaries. In contrast, sea cucumbers, turbo snails, top shells, and giant clams were associated with coral reefs in Ly Son MPA. Related fishery resources, spawning, and nursery grounds of target species involved 8 consultations of local experienced fishermen and a field investigation of the presence of spawning and nursery grounds from November 2019 to September 2020. A total of 1,278 tonnes of commercial resources were harvested in the coral reefs and some 4.647 thousand juveniles of fish and crabs were collected from the adjacent estuaries, in which some essential species of reef fishes indicate linkages between juveniles collected from the nipa palm and seagrass beds in Tra Bong and Sa Ky estuaries and adults fished in the coral reefs in Ly Son MPA. So, conservation and management of exploitation of fish juveniles related to the nipa palm and seagrass beds in Tra Bong and Sa Ky estuaries are considered important solutions for the maintenance of the linkages of fish resources associated with critical marine habitats and fisheries in the waters of Ly Son MPA and adjacent locations in the future.

The Application of Multi Temporal Satellite Data For Land Cover Mapping of Bawean Island, East Java

Land cover dynamics in a small island can be determined using Geographic Information System (GIS) approach based on multitemporal image analysis. This study aimed to classify major land cover types and to map land cover changes of Bawean Island. Two sets of 10 meter resolution satellite data ALOS AVNIR (2010) and Sentinel-2A (2020) were used in this study. Satellite image analysis was carried out through several stages namely image pre-processing including radiometric and geometric correction, supervised image classification and accuracy test. Image classification results from 2010 to 2020 showed a significant change in land cover on Bawean Island. The forest vegetation land cover declined significantly from 13,470.5 Ha in 2010 to 8,543.4 Ha in 2020. Most of the area have been converted into paddy fields and built-up areas. The accuracy test and validation were determined by comparing the 2020 Sentinel image classification results with field observation conducted in 2021. The analysis showed good results with 82.52% overall accuracy and 79.66 Kappa coefficient. Further investigation found that changes in land cover on Bawean Island occured due to the agriculture and infrastucture development.
 Keywords : Geographic Information System (GIS); land cover; satellite images; small island
 
 Copyright (c) 2022 Geosfera Indonesia and Department of Geography Education, University of Jember
 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share A like 4.0 International License

The optimal ratio in the street canyons: Comparison of two methods of satellite images and simulation

Different street-canyon ratios can have significant effects on urban microclimates. These changes affect the intensity of urban heat islands. To formulate urban standards, we need to know the optimal ratios of street-canyons, whose efficiency has been proven in the actual conditions of the city. The values provided by the previous studies regarding the investigation of thermal conditions and microclimates in street-canyons are the result of numerical and software simulations. Since several factors affecting the test conditions may be ignored in the simulation, therefore, these software findings may provide different results from the actual city context conditions. Therefore, this research compares the results of numerical simulations and the analysis of thermal satellite images to achieve optimal values and better understand the temperature conditions in actual street-canyons with different ratios of height to width of the canyon (H/W). The results show that ratios close to 1–1.5 have the lowest and most balanced temperature in different physical conditions. Although the results in other ratios have differences from the outcomes of software simulations, since these studies have also introduced the ratio H/W = 1 as an optimal value, this ratio can be used with more confidence in Future planning and research.

GOOGLE EARTH PLATFORM AS A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM AND ITS CAPABILITIES IN THE STUDY OF DISCIPLINES OF SPECIALTY 193 "GEODESY AND LAND MANAGEMENT"

With the rapid development of information technology, there is a need to revise modern education and new approaches to learning. Nowadays, anyone can take advantage of access to Earth observation satellite data. The development of satellite technologies is one of the main and pressing issues of the world. Scientists are increasingly analyzing satellite images in their work. So every year the demand in this direction increased, as did the very accuracy of satellite imagery. One of the platforms with free access to constantly updated satellite imagery is Google Earth and its more advanced versions of Google Earth Pro and Google Earth Engine, which we will consider for solving a certain number of problems. Google Earth is an unusual platform that most people perceive as a virtual globe, but if we consider it as a whole, including extended versions, then from a virtual globe we get a full-fledged geographic information system. The solution of some geodetic problems can be attributed to geoinformation analysis. In scientific sources, the topic of using Google Earth for geodetic purposes is very relevant. With the help of GIS, many issues are solved in the following industries related to 193 specialties, namely: land management; land cadastres; land inventory; mapping, including thematic; remote sensing; design and many other narrower issues. The purpose of this article is to form a list of geodetic and design tasks that can be solved using the Google Earth platform and its improved versions Google Earth Pro, Google Earth Engine when studying the disciplines of specialty 193 "Geodesy and land management". The article discusses modern approaches to learning, which will soon become a new reality for us. The most useful feature for research turned out to be time travel. With this feature, we can explore land changes since 1985, which is a hot topic in the discipline of land management. The Google Earth platform is not a new project, it has evolved since 2005, constantly optimizing its capabilities with the addition of more interesting and useful features. A lot of their own maps have already been created through this platform, and large companies use Google Earth as a demonstration of their projects. Keywords: Google Earth, geoinformation system, satellite images, platform capabilities, modern education.

R Libraries for Remote Sensing Data Classification by K-Means Clustering and NDVI Computation in Congo River Basin, DRC

In this paper, an image analysis framework is formulated for Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIRS) scenes using the R programming language. The libraries of R are shown to be effective in remote sensing data processing tasks, such as classification using k-means clustering and computing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The data are processed using an integration of the RStoolbox, terra, raster, rgdal and auxiliary packages of R. The proposed approach to image processing using R is designed to exploit the parameters of image bands as cues to detect land cover types and vegetation parameters corresponding to the spectral reflectance of the objects represented on the Earth’s surface. Our method is effective at processing the time series of the images taken at various periods to monitor the landscape dynamics in the middle part of the Congo River basin, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Whereas previous approaches primarily used Geographic Information System (GIS) software, we proposed to explicitly use the scripting methods for satellite image analysis by applying the extended functionality of R. The application of scripts for geospatial data is an effective and robust method compared with the traditional approaches due to its high automation and machine-based graphical processing. The algorithms of the R libraries are adjusted to spatial operations, such as projections and transformations, object topology, classification and map algebra. The data include Landsat-8 OLI-TIRS covering the three regions along the Congo river, Bumba, Basoko and Kisangani, for the years 2013, 2015 and 2022. We also validate the performance of graphical data handling for cartographic visualization using R libraries for visualising changes in land cover types by k-means clustering and calculation of the NDVI for vegetation analysis.

Landscape Fragmentation at Arauco Province in the Chilean Forestry Model Context (1976–2016)

Land Cover–Land Use Changes (LULCC) and landscape fragmentation have been a common research topic for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) scientists since the middle of the 20th century; particularly, they have helped to make accessible the spatial characteristics of land management through time. We researched LULCC and landscape fragmentation in Arauco Province in Chile using satellite image analysis (1976–2016) and FRAGSTAT software. This area is in a constant struggle for land use between agroindustry, urban sprawl, and the expansion of exotic plantations (pine-eucalyptus) subsidized by Chilean government. The main results are: (1) we obtained the surface percentages for each land cover , (2) net changes for each cover by adding and losing surface (ha), (3) the transition map that enlightens the surface transformations of LULCC by its four processes substitution, abandonment, habilitation, regeneration and degradation, (4) the native forest loss in the first half of the period (1976–2001) was 1.85%/year, meanwhile for the second half (2001–2016) it was 6.5%/year, (5) landscape fragmentation processes occurred in patches and deforestation is its main driver, (6) aggregation changed the landscape since fragmentation and deforestation processes started the substitution of native forest, and (7) the habilitation of agricultural lands and degradation of wooded masses with exotic species increased their aggregation to 90%.

Land use land cover change in and around Chebera Churchura National Park, Southwestern Ethiopia: implications for management effectiveness

BackgroundLand use-land cover change (LULCC) resulting from anthropogenic activities has been one of the major causes of loss of biodiversity globally. Thus, understanding the dynamics of such LULCC, especially within protected areas, is important to assess their past-present management effectiveness, identify the driving forces and assist future implementation of mitigation measures. The objectives of this study, based on satellite images analysis, were to examine and describe patterns of LULCC within and in the buffer zone area of Chebera Churchura National Park, SW Ethiopia, at five points in time (1985, 1991, 2000, 2010, and 2020); and to examine management effectiveness of the park authority in slowing down the rate of LULCCs after the establishment of the park.ResultsResults showed that different land cover types exhibited varying patterns of change over the last 35 years. However, major differences were detected between the park area boundary and its buffer zone area after establishment of the park. From the year 1991 to 2000 (before the establishment), grassland declined by 52.9% (120.55km2) and 58.9% (151.9km2) within the park boundary and its buffer zone, respectively. After the establishment, grassland continued to decline only in the buffer zone. Similarly, agricultural land declined by 13.2% (2.7 km2) within the park but expanded by 5.4% (3.1 km2) in the buffer zone prior to park establishment. However, after establishment of the park, agricultural land in the buffer zone increased by 99.4% (99.7 km2). Grassland and wooded grassland had the opposite trend within the park area before vs after the establishment of the park.ConclusionsResults of the present study showed that striking differences in the rates of LULCCs within the park area and its buffer zone after establishment of the park, with the implication that the management is effective in slowing down LULCC relative to that in the buffer zone areas. In sum, this study would serve as a showcase on cost-effective means to assess human impacts on biodiversity in protected areas due to policy changes. Findings of the study would serve as a bench mark to evaluate future management effectives of the park authority.

Optimizing Spectral Libraries from Landsat Imagery for the Analysis of Habitat Richness Using MESMA

Spectral mixture analysis of satellite images, such as MESMA (multiple endmember spectral mixtures analysis), can be used to obtain fraction images in which the abundance of each land occupation class is represented at the pixel level, which is crucial for the analysis of heterogeneous landscapes in which types of habitats vary at fine spatial scales. The objective of this work is to analyze the influence of spectral libraries of various characteristics on the performance of MESMA. To this end, eight spectral libraries from Landsat satellite images were elaborated with different characteristics in terms of size, composition, and temporality. The spectral libraries were optimized using the iterative selection of endmembers (IES) method with the MESMA technique to obtain the fraction images considering five habitat classes (forest, shrubland, grassland, water, and rock and bare soil). The application of MESMA resulted in the classification of more than 95% of pixels in all cases with a root mean square error (RMSE) less than or equal to 0.025. Validation of the fraction images through linear regressions resulted in an RMSE ≥ 0.35 for the shrubland and grassland classes, with a lower RMSE for the remaining classes. A significant influence of library size was observed, as well as a significant effect of temporality, with the best results obtained for the largest monotemporal libraries.

Zoning based on the functions of the geography education field laboratory in the galunggung mountain area, west java-indonesia

Open space offers opportunities that are not found indoors in the learning process. The physical environment contributes to students’ learning by exploring their abilities. This requires the world community to be aware of the location, understand the relationship between locations, cause-effect (analysis), and the consequences caused internally and externally. The need for a comprehensive geographic study model is needed, so that it can show the public a geographical solution to certain environmental problems. Geography Education field laboratory can be used as a support for learning in the classroom. The method of zoning for the analysis of needs for field laboratory studies in the Mount Galunggung area is carried out by identifying needs, by referring to the learning outcome program and course learning. Types of integrated laboratories located in faculty or university study centers, or technical implementing units that provide education and / or training with supporting equipment for categories I, II, and III, and managed materials are general and special category materials to serve research activities, and community service, students and lecturers. Based on the results of field surveys and satellite image analysis which refers to suitability indicators for the development of potential Geography education field laboratories, the Gunung Galunggung area has 5 stations/ zones to be used as a Geography Education Field Laboratory.