High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle Inversion
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become powerful tools for high-resolution, quantitative remote sensing in ecological and environmental studies. In this study, we present a novel approach to accurately mapping and estimating the biomass of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> using UAV-based visible-...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/7423 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849467242363748352 |
|---|---|
| author | Lin Wang Xiang Wang Xiu Su Shiyong Wen Xinxin Wang Qinghui Meng Lingling Jiang |
| author_facet | Lin Wang Xiang Wang Xiu Su Shiyong Wen Xinxin Wang Qinghui Meng Lingling Jiang |
| author_sort | Lin Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become powerful tools for high-resolution, quantitative remote sensing in ecological and environmental studies. In this study, we present a novel approach to accurately mapping and estimating the biomass of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> using UAV-based visible-light imagery combined with hue angle inversion modeling. By integrating diffuse reflectance standard plates into the flight protocol, we converted RGB pixel values into reflectance and derived hue angle metrics with enhanced radiometric accuracy. A hue angle cutoff threshold of 249.01° was identified as the optimal cutoff to distinguish <i>Suaeda salsa</i> from the surrounding land cover types with high confidence. To estimate biomass, we developed an exponential inversion model based on hue angle data calibrated through extensive field measurements. The resulting model—Biomass = 3.57639 × 10<sup>−15</sup> × e<sup>0.12201×α</sup>—achieved exceptional performance (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.99696; MAPE = 3.616%; RMSE = 0.02183 kg/m<sup>2</sup>), indicating strong predictive accuracy and robustness. This study highlights a cost-effective, non-destructive, and scalable method for the real-time monitoring of coastal vegetation, offering a significant advancement in remote sensing applications for wetland ecosystem management. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3b4e88da8c1d4ee8ba5ed87609bc90f5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-3b4e88da8c1d4ee8ba5ed87609bc90f52025-08-20T03:28:25ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-07-011513742310.3390/app15137423High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle InversionLin Wang0Xiang Wang1Xiu Su2Shiyong Wen3Xinxin Wang4Qinghui Meng5Lingling Jiang6National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, ChinaNational Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, ChinaNational Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, ChinaNational Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, ChinaNational Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, ChinaNational Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, ChinaUnmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become powerful tools for high-resolution, quantitative remote sensing in ecological and environmental studies. In this study, we present a novel approach to accurately mapping and estimating the biomass of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> using UAV-based visible-light imagery combined with hue angle inversion modeling. By integrating diffuse reflectance standard plates into the flight protocol, we converted RGB pixel values into reflectance and derived hue angle metrics with enhanced radiometric accuracy. A hue angle cutoff threshold of 249.01° was identified as the optimal cutoff to distinguish <i>Suaeda salsa</i> from the surrounding land cover types with high confidence. To estimate biomass, we developed an exponential inversion model based on hue angle data calibrated through extensive field measurements. The resulting model—Biomass = 3.57639 × 10<sup>−15</sup> × e<sup>0.12201×α</sup>—achieved exceptional performance (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.99696; MAPE = 3.616%; RMSE = 0.02183 kg/m<sup>2</sup>), indicating strong predictive accuracy and robustness. This study highlights a cost-effective, non-destructive, and scalable method for the real-time monitoring of coastal vegetation, offering a significant advancement in remote sensing applications for wetland ecosystem management.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/7423remote sensing inversion<i>Suaeda salsa</i> biomassUAV imageryhue angle |
| spellingShingle | Lin Wang Xiang Wang Xiu Su Shiyong Wen Xinxin Wang Qinghui Meng Lingling Jiang High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle Inversion Applied Sciences remote sensing inversion <i>Suaeda salsa</i> biomass UAV imagery hue angle |
| title | High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle Inversion |
| title_full | High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle Inversion |
| title_fullStr | High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle Inversion |
| title_full_unstemmed | High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle Inversion |
| title_short | High-Resolution Mapping and Biomass Estimation of <i>Suaeda salsa</i> in Coastal Wetlands Using UAV Visible-Light Imagery and Hue Angle Inversion |
| title_sort | high resolution mapping and biomass estimation of i suaeda salsa i in coastal wetlands using uav visible light imagery and hue angle inversion |
| topic | remote sensing inversion <i>Suaeda salsa</i> biomass UAV imagery hue angle |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/7423 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT linwang highresolutionmappingandbiomassestimationofisuaedasalsaiincoastalwetlandsusinguavvisiblelightimageryandhueangleinversion AT xiangwang highresolutionmappingandbiomassestimationofisuaedasalsaiincoastalwetlandsusinguavvisiblelightimageryandhueangleinversion AT xiusu highresolutionmappingandbiomassestimationofisuaedasalsaiincoastalwetlandsusinguavvisiblelightimageryandhueangleinversion AT shiyongwen highresolutionmappingandbiomassestimationofisuaedasalsaiincoastalwetlandsusinguavvisiblelightimageryandhueangleinversion AT xinxinwang highresolutionmappingandbiomassestimationofisuaedasalsaiincoastalwetlandsusinguavvisiblelightimageryandhueangleinversion AT qinghuimeng highresolutionmappingandbiomassestimationofisuaedasalsaiincoastalwetlandsusinguavvisiblelightimageryandhueangleinversion AT linglingjiang highresolutionmappingandbiomassestimationofisuaedasalsaiincoastalwetlandsusinguavvisiblelightimageryandhueangleinversion |