Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands
Measuring woody vegetation cover (WVC) is an essential part of ecological monitoring in rangelands. While continental-scale products that map vegetation cover from satellite remote sensing are available, it is uncertain whether these products are well suited for analyses at the sub-catchment and pro...
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006715 |
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| author | Jaume Ruscalleda-Alvarez Gerald F.M. Page Katherine Zdunic Suzanne M. Prober |
| author_facet | Jaume Ruscalleda-Alvarez Gerald F.M. Page Katherine Zdunic Suzanne M. Prober |
| author_sort | Jaume Ruscalleda-Alvarez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Measuring woody vegetation cover (WVC) is an essential part of ecological monitoring in rangelands. While continental-scale products that map vegetation cover from satellite remote sensing are available, it is uncertain whether these products are well suited for analyses at the sub-catchment and property scale. We evaluated a novel approach to regional-scale mapping of WVC in the southern rangelands of Western Australia, with focus on two ex-pastoral properties. We used random forest regression and a segmented linear regression trained on high resolution satellite imagery and applied to Landsat imagery, and validated them using an independent, high-resolution and multi-year dataset. We compared the performance of our models to that of a broadly used continental-scale fractional cover (FC) dataset available for Australia. We tested the sensitivity of our locally calibrated WVC models to monitor vegetation recovery following chain-clearing in 1973 compared with an adjacent un-cleared patch. Both locally calibrated models were five times more accurate at estimating WVC than the national-scale FC data. The cleared and uncleared plots showed expected trends in WVC (increasing and homeostatic, respectively) using both locally trained models. This study demonstrated that a segmented linear model based on a spectral index can reliably predict WVC at a pastoral-property scale over a multi-annual period. In contrast, continental scale products, while valid to track trends in WVC at larger scales, should be used with caution when guiding local management. The construction of a national product that consolidates regionally-calibrated models of WVC would provide more accurate local information and aggregated national trends. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e34f47ac3b3d4dd080d9cd18267a622b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj-art-e34f47ac3b3d4dd080d9cd18267a622b2025-08-20T02:43:25ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-08-0117711374110.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113741Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelandsJaume Ruscalleda-Alvarez0Gerald F.M. Page1Katherine Zdunic2Suzanne M. Prober3Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, 7 Conlon Street, Waterford 6152 Western Australia, Australia; Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 17 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington 6151 Western Australia, Australia; Corresponding author.School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South St, Murdoch 6150 Western Australia, AustraliaDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 17 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington 6151 Western Australia, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, 2-40 Clunies Ross Street, Acton, ACT 2601, AustraliaMeasuring woody vegetation cover (WVC) is an essential part of ecological monitoring in rangelands. While continental-scale products that map vegetation cover from satellite remote sensing are available, it is uncertain whether these products are well suited for analyses at the sub-catchment and property scale. We evaluated a novel approach to regional-scale mapping of WVC in the southern rangelands of Western Australia, with focus on two ex-pastoral properties. We used random forest regression and a segmented linear regression trained on high resolution satellite imagery and applied to Landsat imagery, and validated them using an independent, high-resolution and multi-year dataset. We compared the performance of our models to that of a broadly used continental-scale fractional cover (FC) dataset available for Australia. We tested the sensitivity of our locally calibrated WVC models to monitor vegetation recovery following chain-clearing in 1973 compared with an adjacent un-cleared patch. Both locally calibrated models were five times more accurate at estimating WVC than the national-scale FC data. The cleared and uncleared plots showed expected trends in WVC (increasing and homeostatic, respectively) using both locally trained models. This study demonstrated that a segmented linear model based on a spectral index can reliably predict WVC at a pastoral-property scale over a multi-annual period. In contrast, continental scale products, while valid to track trends in WVC at larger scales, should be used with caution when guiding local management. The construction of a national product that consolidates regionally-calibrated models of WVC would provide more accurate local information and aggregated national trends.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006715Rangeland ecological conditionWoody vegetation coverRemote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Jaume Ruscalleda-Alvarez Gerald F.M. Page Katherine Zdunic Suzanne M. Prober Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands Ecological Indicators Rangeland ecological condition Woody vegetation cover Remote sensing |
| title | Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands |
| title_full | Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands |
| title_fullStr | Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands |
| title_short | Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands |
| title_sort | estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi arid rangelands |
| topic | Rangeland ecological condition Woody vegetation cover Remote sensing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006715 |
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