Estimation of surface soil properties in peatland using ALOS/PALSAR

• Published in: Landscape and ecological engineering Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 45 - 58
• Main Authors: Takada, Masayuki, Mishima, Yoshio, Natsume, Shosuke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Springer Japan 01.02.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Civil Engineering; Ecosystem studies; Environmental factors; Environmental Management; Freshwater; Hydrology; Landscape Ecology; Landscape/Regional and Urban Planning; Lidar; Life Sciences; Microwaves; Mosses; Nature Conservation; Original Paper; Peatlands; Plant Ecology; Sasa; Scattering; Soil properties; Soil surfaces; Soils; Spatial distribution; Sphagnum; Vegetation; Japan; Polarization; PALSAR; Spatial distribution; Sarobetsu Mire; Backscatter
• ISSN: 1860-1871; 1860-188X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11355-008-0061-4

By examining the area of the Sarobetsu Mire in northern Japan using ALOS/PALSAR data, we have clarified the backscattering behavior and characteristics of the L-band microwaves when used in the study of peatlands. We classified the vegetation into six categories and noted the differences in scattering intensity and incident-angle dependencies among these. The scattering intensity for HH and HV polarizations was greatest with sasa (dwarf bamboo) and reeds, and least with sphagnum. The incident-angle dependency with the HH polarization was higher for sasa and reed than for other vegetation types. Analysis of the polarization revealed that such differences among vegetation classes were reflected most clearly in the volume scattering characteristic. Applying simple and multiple regression analysis for the environmental factors of soil, hydrology, vegetation, and roughness against the backscatter coefficient, we also found stronger interrelations with soil factors such as bulk density, nitrogen and carbon content, and C/N ratio, and against the backscatter coefficient, than with either the roughness or vegetation. Based on such results, we clarified the unique scattering characteristics of peatlands in which scattering from the surface soil is more marked than that from other elements. We consequently estimated the spatial distribution of surface soil characteristics in peatland using the combined data available from L-band satellite SAR, aircraft laser (airborne LiDAR), and optical sensors.