B51G-0515
Using high-dynamic-range digital repeat photography to measure plant phenology in a subarctic mire.
Friday, 18 December 2015
Poster Hall (Moscone South)
Anthony Garnello1, Dennis G Dye2, Rian Bogle2, John Vogel3, Scott R Saleska1 and Patrick M Crill4, (1)University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States, (2)USGS Astrogeology Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ, United States, (3)Western Geographic Science Center, Menlo Park, CA, United States, (4)Stockholm University, Dept. of Geological Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract:
A novel Visual Imaging System (VIS) was designed and deployed in a subarctic mire (68° 20’ N, 19° 03’E) aimed at cataloging plant biological changes (phenology) and analyzing seasonal color shifts in relation to micrometeorological data along the summer growing season: June-November, 2015. The VIS is designed as a tower-based, solar-powered, automated phenology camera (Phenocam) that collects red, green, blue (RGB) and near-infrared (NIR) landscape images in High Dynamic Range (HDR) with fully programmable temporal resolution. HDR composite images are made through combining a series of rapid-capture photos with incremental increases of exposure times and a fixed focus, minimizing the spatial and visual data lost from shadows or from the over-saturation of light. This visual record of ecosystem phenology stages (Phenophases) is being used to (1) investigate vegetation-dependent spectral indices; (2) establish a cross-year comparison record of Phenophase seasonality; (3) investigate meteorological-dependent vegetation Phenophases; (4) provide ground-truthing measurements that enhance broader spatial-scale remote sensing analyses of subarctic wetlands.
