Comparison of remote sensing data sources and techniques for identifying and classifying alien invasive vegetation in riparian zones

Abstract

It has been estimated that South Africa will reach the limits of its usable freshwater resources during the first half of the next century if current trends in water use are not reversed. Removing alien vegetation, responsible for the uptake of large amounts of water from riparian zones, is one of the methods of maximising water supply in South Africa. Remote sensing is a cost-and time-effective technique for identifying alien vegetation in riparian zones and remote sensing data can be incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) which can be used as a tool for the management of riparian zones. In this paper, vegetation identification and classification techniques by using aerial videography, aerial photography and satellite imagery, are assessed in terms of accuracy and cost for a small subcatchment in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. This was achieved by incorporating the data obtained from aerial videography, aerial photography and ground mapping into a GIS. Accuracies of the different techniques were then examined.

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