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A quantitative analysis of photometric data from aerial photographs for vegetation survey

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Abstract

This paper describes the application of quantitative density analysis to black and white aerial photographs for vegetation survey using a Quantimet 720 image analyser.

The photometric data are analysed using both a supervised and an unsupervised classification strategy. Floristic data collected from an independent ground survey, are used to categorise those vegetation classes of interest against which the photometric data classifications are assessed.

The preliminary results obtained suggest that broad classes of vegetation types may be distinguished automatically from their grey scale distribution patterns.

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Author notes

  1. J. E. Grainger

    Present address: Faculty of Meteorology and Environmental Studies King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Southampton, England

    J. E. Grainger

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  1. J. E. Grainger
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Additional information

Nomenelature follows Tutin et al. Flora of the British Isles.

Thanks are due to Dr. J. M. Lambert for her helpful critieism of the manuscript, to Dr. S. Talluniani of CEGB, Marehwood for access to the Quantimet 720 and to the University of Southampton for the research studentship.

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Grainger, J.E. A quantitative analysis of photometric data from aerial photographs for vegetation survey. Vegetatio 48, 71–82 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00117363

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