Hello Elizabeth, an other approach for combining remote sensing and field based mapping is to use fixed grid cells instead of free-lined polygons. This can save a lot of troubles with delieating boundaries without effectively reducing the information content of the final product. We have really favourable experiences with this approach in Hungary, as it helps to concentrate on the major features, and requires no fuss with fiddly details.
Just one reference: Molnár, Z., Bartha, S., Seregélyes, T., Illyés, E., Botta-Dukát, Z., Tímár, G., Horváth, F., et al. (2007). A GRID-Based, Satellite-Image Supported, Multi-Attributed Vegetation Mapping Method (MÉTA). Folia Geobotanica, 42, 225-247. (if you need, I can send you the pdf) Best regards, Bálint -- Bálint Czúcz Institute of Ecology and Botany of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences H-2163 Vácrátót, Alkotmány u. 2-4. HUNGARY Tel: +36 28 360122/137 +36 70 7034692 magyar nyelvű blog: http://atermeszettorvenye.blogspot.com/ On Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 17:16, Luke Worsham <[email protected]> wrote: > Elizabeth, > > The Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (CRMS) at UGA has done a > lot of the type of vegetation mapping that Tim mentioned for national park > units in the southeast. You might find the publications on their website > helpful, which include literature examples and references for interpreting > aerial imagery. > > http://www.crms.uga.edu/publications.htm > > Best, > Luke Worsham > > ---- Original message ---- >>Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 07:35:16 -0400 >>From: "Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news" >><[email protected]> (on behalf of Tim Howard >><[email protected]>) >>Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Question about vegetation assemblage mapping >>To: [email protected] >> >>Elizabeth, >> >>There is an entire world of vegetation mapping out there. One place that >>might help you get started is the National Park Service, which has mapped >>nearly all NPS properties throughout the US. If I recall correctly, they >>typically follow this procedure: >> >> - using aerial imagery, produce a preliminary vegetation map >> - collected detailed field plot data to assist with the mapping and >> classification of types >> - produce a final vegetation map using info gained from plot data collection >> - complete an accuracy assessment of the map by collecting data at points >> randomly placed within specific mapped polygons. >> >>This link should get you to some very detailed instructions on each of those >>steps: >> >>http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/inventory/veg/index.cfm >> >>Cheers, >>Tim Howard >>NY Natural Heritage Program >> >> >> >>>>> Elizabeth Mitchell <[email protected]> 6/23/2010 7:13 PM >>> >>Hello Everyone, >> >> I am writing to find out if anyone has any experience with >>vegetation assemblage mapping. This is a side project I am working on for my >>summer employment in graduate school. Our current ideas are to use aerial >>photographs to distinguish specific patches of salt marsh vegetation (in a >>sense creating topographical lines that dictate vegetation coverage), and >>then to go and ground truth our maps and adjust with GPS >>polygons/waypoints. >> >>As well as ideas/suggestions from experience, I am looking for literature >>that may cover this topic (sort of an odd topic for the databases). >> >>Thank you all for your help. Enjoy your field seasons! >> >>Cheers, >> Elizabeth Mitchell >> >> >> >>M.S. Student in Biology >>University of Southern Maine >>[email protected] >
