Satomi TSUNOYAMA

Comparison Studying of Forest Canopy Density and Forest-age Information in LANDSAT-TM Image Analysis


Atsushi RIKIMARU, Yukio MUKAI, Kazuyoshi TAKAHASHI

In this study, the possibility for efficient renewal method of forest GIS was explored, by comparing the forest-age information indicated in the forest GIS with the forest canopy density (FCD) computed from satellite data. There was correlation between forest canopy density calculated from the aerial photo, and FCD computed from satellite data, and a relation between both, was derived, and FCD computed from satellite data was corrected using the relation equation. Secular change of FCD showed mostly a same tendency as the secular change of leaves volume of a tree. Since growth of a tree crown become saturated in forest-age about 20 years, a relation equation between the forest age younger than 20 and FCD was computed, and the FCD distribution map expected from the forest GIS was created using the relation equation.
Difference between the present condition of the forest and the information indicated in the forest GIS can be grasped by comparing the FCD computed from satellite data with the FCD distribution map expected from the forest GIS. It can be said from the above study that errors in the forest book for a young forest can be generally grasped and impossible to pick up probable points in renewing the forest GIS.