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Using Multitemporal Landsat ETM+ Imagery to Determine a Sustainable Exploitation Patterns of the Forest Resources in the Moldo-Transylvanian Carpathians - Romania
Ciobotaru, A.-M.; Andronache, I.; Ahammer, H.; Jelinek, H.F.; Radulovic, M.; Pintilii, R.-D.; Peptenatu, D.; Drăghici, C.-C.; Simion, A.-G.; Papuc, R.-M.; Marin, M.; Radu, R.-A.; Grecu, A.; Gruia, A.K.; Loghin, I.-V.; Fensholt, R. Recent Deforestation Pattern Changes (2000–2017) in the Central Carpathians: A Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix and Fractal Analysis Approach. Forests 2019, 10, 308.
Ciobotaru, A.-M.; Andronache, I.; Ahammer, H.; Jelinek, H.F.; Radulovic, M.; Pintilii, R.-D.; Peptenatu, D.; Drăghici, C.-C.; Simion, A.-G.; Papuc, R.-M.; Marin, M.; Radu, R.-A.; Grecu, A.; Gruia, A.K.; Loghin, I.-V.; Fensholt, R. Recent Deforestation Pattern Changes (2000–2017) in the Central Carpathians: A Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix and Fractal Analysis Approach. Forests 2019, 10, 308.
Ciobotaru, A.-M.; Andronache, I.; Ahammer, H.; Jelinek, H.F.; Radulovic, M.; Pintilii, R.-D.; Peptenatu, D.; Drăghici, C.-C.; Simion, A.-G.; Papuc, R.-M.; Marin, M.; Radu, R.-A.; Grecu, A.; Gruia, A.K.; Loghin, I.-V.; Fensholt, R. Recent Deforestation Pattern Changes (2000–2017) in the Central Carpathians: A Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix and Fractal Analysis Approach. Forests 2019, 10, 308.
Ciobotaru, A.-M.; Andronache, I.; Ahammer, H.; Jelinek, H.F.; Radulovic, M.; Pintilii, R.-D.; Peptenatu, D.; Drăghici, C.-C.; Simion, A.-G.; Papuc, R.-M.; Marin, M.; Radu, R.-A.; Grecu, A.; Gruia, A.K.; Loghin, I.-V.; Fensholt, R. Recent Deforestation Pattern Changes (2000–2017) in the Central Carpathians: A Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix and Fractal Analysis Approach. Forests 2019, 10, 308.
Abstract
Monitoring the ratio of forested and deforested areas plays a key role in studying the dynamics of forest areas. Appropriate mapping of anthropogenic forest disturbances is particularly important in the context of sustainable forest management. It provides ecological, social and economic information which is crucial for forest policymakers. In the last two decades, the forest areas of the Moldo-Transylvanian Carpathians have been subject to a high rate of deforestation which at present state lacks proper quantification. We present a novel methodology for monitoring the forest disturbance dynamics in Moldo-Transylvanian Carpathians by use of fractal analysis including entropy, Fractal Fragmentation Index (FFI) and Tug-of-War lacunarity (Λ_(T-o-W)). This was necessary to quantify and identify the disorder (entropy), the fragmentation (FFI) and heterogeneity of the spatial distribution (Λ_(T-o-W)) patterns. Based on satellite images of the forest areas (annually 2000-2014), increased fragmentation was demonstrated by FFI increase, a measure of the degree of disorder (entropy) and heterogeneity (lacunarity). Our results revealed that textural and fractal analysis can be an effective tool for the extraction of quantitative information about the spatiotemporal dynamics of forest disturbance. The methods developed, and results obtained are a complementary approach to forest disturbance mapping (based on traditional image classification) for future development and adaptation of forestry management policies to ensure a sustainable management and exploitation of forest areas.
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