Inter-annual variability of peatland vegetation captured using phenocam- and UAV imagery

Simpson, Gillian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8175-3092; Wade, Tom; Helfter, Carole ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5773-4652; Jones, Matthew R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2006-8809; Yeung, Karen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0400-3980; Nichol, Caroline J.. 2025 Inter-annual variability of peatland vegetation captured using phenocam- and UAV imagery. Remote Sensing, 17 (3), 526. 26, pp. 10.3390/rs17030526

Before downloading, please read NORA policies.

Preview

Text N538929JA.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (4MB) | Preview

Abstract/Summary

Plant phenology is an important driver of inter-annual variability in peatland carbon uptake. However, the use of traditional phenology datasets (e.g., manual surveys, satellite remote sensing) to quantify this link is hampered by their limited spatial and temporal coverage. This study examined the use of phenology cameras (phenocams) and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) for monitoring phenology in a Scottish temperate peatland. Data were collected at the site over multiple growing seasons using a UAV platform fitted with a multispectral Parrot Sequoia camera. We found that greenness indices calculated using data from both platforms were in strong agreement with each other, and exhibited strong correlations with rates of gross primary production (GPP) at the site. Greenness maps generated with the UAV data were combined with fine-scale vegetation classifications, and highlighted the variable sensitivity of different plant species to dry spells over the study period. While a lack of suitable weather conditions for surveying limited the UAV data temporally, the phenocam provided a near-continuous record of phenology. The latter revealed substantial temporal variability in the relationship between canopy greenness and peatland GPP, which although strong over the growing season as a whole (rs = 0.88, p < 0.01), was statistically insignificant during the peak growing season.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.3390/rs17030526
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Environmental Pressures and Responses (2025-) Land-Atmosphere Interactions (2025-)
ISSN:	2072-4292
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	peatland, GPP, phenology, drought response
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Electronics, Engineering and Technology Data and Information
Date made live:	19 Feb 2025 10:33 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/538929

Actions (login required)

View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...