Date of Award

Fall 1975

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Program/Concentration

Biology

Committee Director

Gerald F. Levy

Committee Member

Gary E. Copeland

Committee Member

Kneeland Nesius

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.B46 M466

Abstract

This study concerned the feasibility of using digital satellite imagery and automatic data processing (ADP) techniques as a means of mapping swamp forest vegetation. Multispectral scanner data acquired by the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1; renamed LANDSAT-1) was analyzed using ADP techniques developed by Purdue University's Laboratory for Applications of Remote Sensing (LARS). The site for this investigation was the Dismal Swamp, a 210,000 acre swamp forest located south of Suffolk, Va. on the Virginia-North Carolina border. Two basic classification strategies were employed in determining the vegetation mapping capability of ERTS-1 data. The initial classification utilized unsupervised techniques which produced a map of the swamp indicating the distribution of thirteen forest spectral classes. These classes were later combined into three informational categories: Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), and deciduous forest. The subsequent classification employed supervised techniques which mapped Atlantic white cedar, Loblolly pine, deciduous forest, water and agriculture within the study site. A. classification accuracy of 82.5% was produced by unsupervised techniques compared with 89% accuracy using supervised techniques. Results attained suggest ERTS-1 data and ADP techniques can be successfully applied to mapping some types of swamp vegetation.

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In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/fs67-ke69

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