Using remote sensing to characterize riparian vegetation: A review of available tools and perspectives for managers

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 267; p. 110652
• Main Authors: Huylenbroeck, Leo, Laslier, Marianne, Dufour, Simon, Georges, Blandine, Lejeune, Philippe, Michez, Adrien
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alluvial forest; cost effectiveness; Earth sciences & physical geography; Ecosystem; environmental management; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental sciences & ecology; Floodplain vegetation; Geography; Humanities and Social Sciences; hydrology; LiDAR; Life sciences; Physical, chemical, mathematical & earth Sciences; Physique, chimie, mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Remote Sensing Technology; Riparian forest; riparian vegetation; Rivers; Satellite; satellites; Sciences de la terre & géographie physique; Sciences de l’environnement & écologie; Sciences du vivant; species diversity; time series analysis; UAV; Satellite; Floodplain vegetation; UAV; Riparian forest; Alluvial forest; LiDAR
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110652

Riparian vegetation is a central component of the hydrosystem. As such, it is often subject to management practices that aim to influence its ecological, hydraulic or hydrological functions. Remote sensing has the potential to improve knowledge and management of riparian vegetation by providing cost-effective and spatially continuous data over wide extents. The objectives of this review were twofold: to provide an overview of the use of remote sensing in riparian vegetation studies and to discuss the transferability of remote sensing tools from scientists to managers. We systematically reviewed the scientific literature (428 articles) to identify the objectives and remote sensing data used to characterize riparian vegetation. Overall, results highlight a strong relationship between the tools used, the features of riparian vegetation extracted and the mapping extent. Very high-resolution data are rarely used for rivers longer than 100 km, especially when mapping species composition. Multi-temporality is central in remote sensing riparian studies, but authors use only aerial photographs and relatively coarse resolution satellite images for diachronic analyses. Some remote sensing approaches have reached an operational level and are now used for management purposes. Overall, new opportunities will arise with the increased availability of very high-resolution data in understudied or data-scarce regions, for large extents and as time series. To transfer remote sensing approaches to riparian managers, we suggest mutualizing achievements by producting open-access and robust tools. These tools will then have to be adapted to each specific project, in collaboration with managers. •Review shows diverse approaches and objectives for mapping riparian vegetation.•Scale of observation, remote sensing data and mapped features are strongly related.•Finer spatial and temporal resolution will renew large scale and diachronic analyses.•We discuss the challenges of conveying remote sensing tools to managers.•Open access tools and co-construction with managers foster technology transfer.