Automated Boundary Delineation and Spatial Change Assessment of Alpine Habitats (Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany)

Graz

2007

S. 243-250

4 Abb., 17 Lit. Ang.

Artikel aus einer ZeitschriftUnselbständiges Werk

200151967

The 16 km2 sized study site Klausbachtal is situated in the Berchtesgaden National Park (NPB), which lies in the Alpine region of South Eastern Germany. The test site represents a mountainous area, characterized by a high bio- and habitat diversity and a cliffy relief. NPB participates in the European research project HABITALP (Alpine Habitat Diversity). One aim of this project is to monitor habitat diversity and environmental changes. Since 1980 habitat delineation in NPB was accomplished in an intuitive way by experienced interpreters using color infrared (CIR) aerial photographs. Due to vegetation and environmental changes caused by climate warming, and driven by ongoing loss of biodiversity as well as for reasons of time and economy, there is an increasing demand for updated image data in a high time rate and automated image analysis. In the described study we used pan-sharpened data from a QuickBird scene as segmentation basis. First, this paper presents an iterative, one-level representation (OLR) segmentation strategy and its potential for automated habitat delineation using very high spatial resolution (VHSR) optical QuickBird-satellite data. Second the virtual-overlay method is described for assessing either Ęrealę spatial object changes or differences in habitat delineation approaches between corresponding habitat geometries of the years 2003 and 2005.