Multi-scale assessment of river-floodplains

由于自然和人为的力量，河流生态系统是高度动态和异质性的生态系统。沿海河岸森林的异质性使其成为温带森林中生物多样性最丰富的森林之一，但在大范围内绘制地图也具有挑战性。沿海洪泛平原森林内各种重要的生态结构形成了不同尺度的空间格局。其中许多模式包括纹理、空间和光谱特性，这些特性有助于使用高空间分辨率卫星图像进行识别。精细尺度图像（亚米分辨率）在河岸制图中的应用潜力尤其引人注目，因为这些地区一直难以使用粗糙的图像进行识别。这项研究计划的目标是使用一套新的遥感工具和地面真实信息，严格量化河流泛滥平原自然和人为变化的等级模式。我们强调在我们的试验点开发的技术的使用、扩展和测试，以在克莱奥特峡湾内新的更大的洪泛平原，重点是保护关注的稀有栖息地和自然和人为干扰的模式。我们将使用最先进的基于对象的分类软件对不列颠哥伦比亚省沿海三条河流的高空间分辨率图像进行分类，并使用粗尺度图像和景观格局指数评估大尺度变动性。利用这些工具的组合，在精细和广阔的空间尺度上了解河漫滩内的变化，将有助于理清河漫滩生态系统变化的人为因素和自然因素。作为我们长期目标的一部分，我们还考察了海达瓜伊和斯基纳河沿岸的其他地点，其中包括原始地区以及经过历史森林管理修改的地区。通过使用历史重建和航空照片量化过去的变化，这些相同的河流系统也将在历史框架内进行检查。这些不同的方法将为我们了解不列颠哥伦比亚省一些最具生物多样性和管理最严格的河流泛滥平原系统增加一个关键的维度。

Riverine ecosystems are highly dynamic and heterogeneous ecosystems, due to both natural and anthropogenic forces. The heterogeneity of coastal riparian forests makes them among the most biodiverse of temperate forests, but also challenging to map over broad areas. A variety of ecologically important structures within coastal floodplain forests result in spatial patterns at different scales. Many of these patterns include textural, spatial and spectral properties which aid in their discrimination using high spatial resolution satellite imagery. The potential of fine-scale imagery (with sub-metre resolution) for use in riparian mapping is particularly compelling, as such areas have been challenging to discern using coarser imagery. The goal of this proposed research program is to rigorously quantify hierarchical patterns of natural and anthropogenic variability in river-floodplains using a suite of new remote sensing tools and ground-truth information. We emphasize the use, extension, and testing of techniques developed in our pilot site to new larger floodplains within Clayoquot Sound, with an emphasis on rare habitats of conservation concern and patterns of natural and anthropogenic disturbance. We will classify high spatial resolution imagery along three rivers in coastal British Columbia using state-of-the-art object-based classification software, as well as assess broad-scale variability using coarser-scale imagery and landscape pattern indices. Using this combination of tools to understand the variability within river-floodplains, at both fine and broad spatial scales, will help disentangle the anthropogenic and natural agents of change in river-floodplain ecosystems. As part of our long-term objectives, we also examine additional sites in Haida Gwaii and along the Skeena River, which include pristine areas as well as those modified by historic forest management. These same river systems will also be examined within an historical framework, by quantifying past variability using historic reconstruction and aerial photos. These different approaches will add a critical dimension to our understanding of some of the most biodiverse and heavily managed river-floodplain systems in BC.