RT Journal Article
T1 Using Vegetation Indices and a UAV Imaging Platform to Quantify the Density of Vegetation Ground Cover in Olive Groves (Olea Europaea L.) in Southern Spain.
A1 Lima-Cueto, Francisco Javier
A1 Blanco-Sepúlveda, Rafael
A1 Gómez-Moreno, María Luisa
A1 Galacho-Jiménez, Federico Benjamín
K1 Olivos
AB In olive groves, vegetation ground cover (VGC) plays an important ecological role. The EUCommon Agricultural Policy, through cross-compliance, acknowledges the importance of this factor,but, to determine the real impact of VGC, it must first be quantified. Accordingly, in the presentstudy, eleven vegetation indices (VIs) were applied to quantify the density of VGC in olive groves(Olea europaea L.), according to high spatial resolution (10–12 cm) multispectral images obtained by anunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The fieldwork was conducted in early spring, in a Mediterraneanmountain olive grove in southern Spain presenting various VGC densities. A five-step method wasapplied: (1) generate image mosaics using UAV technology; (2) apply the VIs; (3) quantify VGCdensity by means of sampling plots (ground-truth); (4) calculate the mean reflectance of the spectralbands and of the VIs in each sampling plot; and (5) quantify VGC density according to the VIs.The most sensitive index was IRVI, which accounted for 82% (p < 0.001) of the variability of VGCdensity. The capability of the VIs to di erentiate VGC densities increased in line with the coverinterval range. RVI most accurately distinguished VGC densities > 80% in a cover interval rangeof 10% (p < 0.001), while IRVI was most accurate for VGC densities < 30% in a cover interval rangeof 15% (p < 0.01). IRVI, NRVI, NDVI, GNDVI and SAVI di erentiated the complete series of VGCdensities when the cover interval range was 30% (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05).
PB Remote Sensing (MDPI)
YR 2019
FD 2019
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/30032
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/30032
LA eng
NO Lima-Cueto, F.J.; Blanco-Sepúlveda, R.; Gómez-Moreno, M.L.; Galacho-Jiménez, F.B. Using Vegetation Indices and a UAV Imaging Platform to Quantify the Density of Vegetation Ground Cover in Olive Groves (Olea Europaea L.) in Southern Spain. Remote Sens. 2019, 11, 2564. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11212564
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 21 ene 2026