title: Estimation of Tree Size Diversity Using Object Oriented Texture Analysis and Aster Imagery.
abstract: This study investigates the potential of object-based texture parameters extracted from 15m spatial resolution ASTER imagery for estimating tree size diversity in a Mediterranean forested landscape in Turkey. Tree size diversity based on tree basal area was determined using the Shannon index and Gini Coefficient at the sampling plot level. Image texture parameters were calculated based on the grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) for various image segmentation levels. Analyses of relationships between tree size diversity and texture parameters found that relationships between the Gini Coefficient and the GLCM values were the most statistically significant, with the highest correlation (r=0.69) being with GLCM Homogeneity values. In contrast, Shannon Index values were weakly correlated with image derived texture parameters. The results suggest that 15m resolution Aster imagery has considerable potential in estimating tree size diversity based on the Gini Coefficient for heterogeneous Mediterranean forests.
authors.affiliation: Suleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Forestry, 32269, Isparta, Turkey. ibrahim@orman.sdu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.affiliation: School of Forestry, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. david.norton@canterbury.ac.nz.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, Bahcekoy, Istanbul, Turkey. ulasyunus@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ulas Yunus
authors.initials: UY
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.affiliation: Suleyman Demirel University, Remote Sensing Research and Application Centre, Isparta, Turkey. amert@sdu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mert
authors.affiliation: Suleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Forestry, 32269, Isparta, Turkey. ozdemirsenturk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ozdemir
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Senturk
keywords: Tree size diversity; brutian pine; image segmentation; remote sensing; texture analysis