Abstract
The Indian Ocean tsunami event of December 26, 2004 not only left massive casualties and economic damages, but also raised concerns about the destruction and recovery of coastal ecosystems. This work aimed to analyze the spatial patterns and temporal trajectories of vegetation damage and recovery using a multisensor multitemporal remote sensing, dataset. Using the study area of Koh Phra Thong, Thailand as a case study, we demonstrate the capabilities of remote sensing analysis in assessing the consequences of an extreme flooding event on the dynamics of coastal vegetation. Field surveys and satellite mid-resolution multispectral satellite data covering the period from February 2003 to December 2009 were used to map flooded areas and coastal vegetation loss and recovery following the tsunami. Normalized Difference Reflectance change detection was performed to map the extent of flooded areas. Vegetation Fraction Cover derived using spectral unmixing techniques was used to study the multitemporal changes in coastal vegetation after the event. Vegetation change detection techniques were applied to characterize the vegetation cover changes in two different time frames: short-term changes (from 4 days to 1 year after the event), and long-term dynamics (up to 5 years after). Estimates of vegetation change (decline, recovery, and gain) were quantified and mapped, with extreme vegetation losses found directly after the tsunami (up to 79 % in flooded areas). After 1 year, different trends had developed, indicating that recovering vegetation had reached up to 55 % of pre-tsunami land cover, but with different trajectories for each vegetation type.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams JB, Sabol DE, Kapos V, Almeida Filho R, Roberts DA, Smith MO, Gillespie AR (1995) Classification of multispectral images based on fractions of endmembers: application to land-cover change in the Brazilian Amazon. Remote Sens Environ 52(2):137–154
Belward AS, Stibig H-J, Eva H, Rembold F, Bucha T, Hartley A, Beuchle R, Khudhairy D, Michielon M, Mollicone D (2007) Mapping severe damage to land cover following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami using moderate spatial resolution satellite imagery. Int J Remote Sens 28:2977–2994
Canty MJ, Nielsen AA, Schmidt ML (2004) Automatic radiometric normalization of multitemporal satellite imagery. Remote Sens Environ 91(3–4):441–451
Chatenoux B, Peduzzi P (2007) Impacts from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: analysing the potential protecting role of environmental features. Nat Hazards 40(2):289–304
Chen P, Liew SC, Kwoh LK (2005) Tsunami damage assessment using high resolution satellite imagery: a case study of Aceh, Indonesia. Proceedings 2005 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS 05 2:1405–1408
Cochard R, Ranamukhaarachchi SL, Shivakoti GP, Shipin OV, Edwards PJ, Seeland KT (2008) The 2004 tsunami in Aceh and Southern Thailand: a review on coastal ecosystems, wave hazards and vulnerability. Perspect Plant Ecol Evol Syst 10(1):3–40
Dahdouh-Guebas F (2002) The use of remote sensing and GIS in the sustainable management of tropical coastal ecosystems. Environ Dev Sustain 4(2):93–112
Dahdouh-Guebas F, Jayatissa LP, Di Nitto D, Bosire JO, Lo Seen D, Koedam N (2005) How effective were mangroves as a defence against the recent tsunami? Curr Biol 15(12):R443–R447
Danielsen F, Sorensen MK, Olwig MF, Selvam V, Parish F, Burgess N, Hiraishi T, Karunagaran VM, Rasmussen MS, Hansen LB, Quarto A, Suryadiputra N (2005) The Asian tsunami: a protective role for coastal vegetation. Science 310(5748):643
Danielsen F, Sorensen MK, Olwig MF, Selvam V, Parish F, Burgess ND, Topp-Jorgensen E, Hiraishi T, Karunagaran VM, Rasmussen MS, Hansen LB, Quarto A, Suryadiputra N (2006) Coastal vegetation and the Asian tsunami—response. Science 311(5757):37–38
Das S, Vincent JR (2009) Mangroves protected villages and reduced death toll during Indian super cyclone. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 106:7357–7360
Gianinetto M, Villa P (2011) Mapping Hurricane Katrina’s widespread destruction in New Orleans using multisensor data and the normalized difference change detection (NDCD) technique. Int J Remote Sens 32(7):1961–1982
Granek EF, Ruttenberg BI (2007) Protective capacity of mangroves during tropical storms: a case study from Wilma and Gamma, in Belize. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 343(7):101–105
Iverson LR, Prasad AM (2007) Using landscape analysis to assess and model tsunami damage in Aceh Province, Sumatra. Landscape Ecol 22:323–331
Kamthonkiat D, Rodfai C, Saiwanrungkul A, Koshimura S, Matsuoka M (2011) Geoinformatics in mangrove monitoring: damage and recovery after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Phang Nga, Thailand. Natural Hazards and Earth System Science 11(7):1851–1862
Kathiresan K, Rajendran N (2005) Coastal mangrove forests mitigated tsunami. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 65(3):601–606
Kerr AM, Baird AH, Campbell SJ (2006) Comments on ‘‘Coastal mangrove forests mitigated tsunami’’ by K. Kathiresan and N. Rajendran [Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 65 (2005) 601–606]. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 67:539–541
Kotchenova SY, Vermote EF, Matarrese R, Klemm FJ Jr (2006) Validation of a vector version of the 6S radiative transfer code for atmospheric correction of satellite data. Part I: Path Radiance, Applied Optics 45(26):6726–6774
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being: wetlands and water. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC
Mitsch WJ, Gosselink JG (2007) Wetlands, 4th edn. Wiley, New York, 600 pp
Mukherjee N, Dahdouh-Guebas F, Kapoor V, Arthur R, Koedam N, Sridhar A, Shanker K (2010) From bathymetry to bioshields: a review of post-tsunami ecological research in India and its implications for policy. Environ Manage 46:329–339
Olwig MF, Sorensen MK, Rasmussen MS, Danielsen F, Selvam V, Hansen LB, Nyborg L, Vestergaard KB, Parish F, Karunagaran VM (2007) Using remote sensing to assess the protective role of coastal woody vegetation against tsunami waves. Int J Remote Sens 28:3153–3169
Roberts DA, Batista G, Pereira J, Waller E, Nelson B (1999) Change identification using multitemporal spectral mixture analysis Applications in eastern Amazonia. In: Lunetta RS, Elvidge C (eds), Remote sensing change detection: environmental monitoring methods and applications. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton
Römer H, Kaiser G, Sterr H, Ludwig R (2010) Using remote sensing to assess tsunami-induced impacts on coastal forest ecosystems at the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 10:729–745
Römer H, Jeewarongkakul J, Kaiser G, Ludwig R, Sterr H (2012) Monitoring post-tsunami vegetation recovery in Phang-Nga province, Thailand, based on IKONOS imagery and field investigations—a contribution to the analysis of tsunami vulnerability of coastal ecosystems. Int J Remote Sens 33(10):3090–3121
Sirikulchayanon P, Sun WX, Oyana TJ (2008) Assessing the impact of the 2004 tsunami on mangroves using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Int J Remote Sens 29(12):3553–3576
Stone R (2006) Ecology: a rescue effort for tsunami-ravaged mangrove forests. Science 314(5798):404
Tanaka N, Sasaki Y, Mowjood MIM, Jinadasa KBSN, Homchuen S (2006) Coastal vegetation structures and their functions in tsunami protection: experience of the recent Indian Ocean tsunami. Landscape Ecol Eng 3(1):33–45
Tsuji Y, Namegaya Y, Matsumoto H, Iwasaki S-I, Kanbua W, Sriwichai M, Meesuk V (2006) The 2004 Indian tsunami in Thailand: surveyed runup heights and tide gauge records. Earth Planets Space 58:223–232
Villa P, Lechi G, Gomarasca MA (2009) Multivariate differencing techniques for land cover change detection: the normalized difference reflectance approach. In: Ho PGP (ed) Geoscience and remote sensing. In-Tech, Vienna, pp 277–300
Wolanski E (2007) Protective functions of coastal forests and trees against natural hazards, pp 157–179. In: Braatz S, Fortuna S, Broadhead J, Leslie R (eds), Coastal protection in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami What Role for Forests and Trees?. FAO, Bangkok
Yuan D, Elvidge CD (1996) Comparison of relative radiometric normalization techniques. ISPRS J Photogram Rem Sensing 51(3):117–126
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge NAUCRATES ONG, which has been active on Ko Phra Thong for 11 years, and in particular Claudio Conti and Monica Aureggi, who helped in field work activities and graciously provided important local and scientific knowledge. Thanks also to the staff from Ranong Coastal Resources Research Station for their support during field surveys.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Villa, P., Boschetti, M., Morse, J.L. et al. A multitemporal analysis of tsunami impact on coastal vegetation using remote sensing: a case study on Koh Phra Thong Island, Thailand. Nat Hazards 64, 667–689 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0261-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0261-y