Extraction and influencing factors of vegetation coverage using unmanned aerial vehicle images in dune-meadow transitional area

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2021.00004

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 16-24.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2021.00004

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Extraction and influencing factors of vegetation coverage using unmanned aerial vehicle images in dune-meadow transitional area

Yiran Zhang^a(), Tingxi Liu^a^,^b(), Xin Tong^a^,^b, Limin Duan^a^,^b, Xin Wang^a

^a.College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University，Hohhot 010018，China
^b.Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Water Resource Protection and Utilization, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University，Hohhot 010018，China

Received:2020-09-10 Revised:2021-01-06 Online:2021-05-26 Published:2021-05-26
Contact: Tingxi Liu

Abstract

Abstract:

In order to accurately monitor the dynamic changes of typical vegetation coverage at the landscape scale between dunes and meadows， this paper has utilized multi-temporal and high-definition RGB orthophotos acquired by unmanned aerial vehicle （UAV）. On the basis of U-shaped neural network structure of deep learning， a vegetation cover extraction model has been established. In addition， the characteristics of vegetation cover changes during the growing period and its response to environmental factors have been further investigated. The study showed that：（1） the accuracy of the vegetation coverage extraction model is high. The accuracy of the training set is 0.81 and the accuracy of the verification set is 0.86. The vegetation coverage of different topography and complex habitats can be extracted efficiently and conveniently. （2） During the growth period （May to October）， The vegetation coverage of semi-mobile sand dunes， farmland and meadow combinations， semi-fixed sand dunes and fixed sand dunes showed a single-peak trend over time， peaking in August and followed by 37.51%， 76.21%， 61.66% and 80.57% respectively. （3） Precipitation， air temperature and vegetation cover were significantly related （the correlation coefficients were 0.575， 0.602 and P is less than 0.01 respectively）， precipitation is the main factor affecting the change of vegetation cover in the sand dune-meadow phase， and air temperature is also an important environmental factor to limit its growth and distribution. （4） The impact of precipitation to vegetation coverage was from high to low， which were semi-mobile sand dunes， semi-fixed sand dunes， fixed sand dunes， the combinations of farmland and meadow. Using high-definition images of UAV to accurately monitor changes in vegetation cover can provide data support for the extraction of vegetation information in large-scale desert areas and theoretical basis for the scientific environment construction and management of desertification ecosystems.

Key words: vegetation coverage, UAV, convolutional neural network, environmental factors

CLC Number:

TP753

Yiran Zhang, Tingxi Liu, Xin Tong, Limin Duan, Xin Wang. Extraction and influencing factors of vegetation coverage using unmanned aerial vehicle images in dune-meadow transitional area[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2021, 41(3): 16-24.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig.1 Location of the study area and UAV flight sample plot

Table 1 UAV and RGB camera parameters

设备	基本参数
无人机平台	总重量	1 375 g
	最大可承受风速	10 m·s^-1
	最大飞行时间	30 min
	卫星定位模块	GPS/GLONASS
相机	影像传感器	1 inch CMOS
	有效像素	2 000万
	视场角（FOV）	84°

Fig.2 Original pictures (A), vegetation marking pictures (B), and vegetation cover extraction (C) of UAV RGB images

Fig.3 Framework of vegetation coverage extraction model

Fig.4 Curve of accuracy with iteration times

Fig.5 Data rectification of marking error image

Fig.6 The vegetation coverage extraction results of different flight plots in different periods

Fig.7 The change of vegetation coverage in different areas from May to October

Table 2 Correlation coefficient between vegetation coverage and environmental impact factors

月降水量	月平均气温	10 cm深度			20 cm深度			40 cm深度			80 cm深度		月净辐射
月降水量	月平均气温	土壤含水率	土壤温度		土壤含水率	土壤温度		土壤含水率	土壤温度		土壤含水率	土壤温度	月净辐射
0.575^**	0.602^**	0.159	0.455		0.121	0.474		0.139	0.490		0.078	0.456	0.174

Table 3 Vegetation coverage of different landforms is correlated with precipitation and air temperature

植被覆盖度	相关分析		偏相关分析
植被覆盖度	降水量	气温	降水量（气温固定）	气温（降水量固定）
半流动沙丘	0.810	0.340	0.784	0.088
农田和草甸组合	0.645	0.629	0.529	0.505
半固定沙丘	0.750	0.796	0.705	0.761
固定沙丘	0.682	0.785	0.574	0.720

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Extraction and influencing factors of vegetation coverage using unmanned aerial vehicle images in dune-meadow transitional area

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