High-resolution wetland management mapping based on a terrain model and UAV-mounted LiDAR and indicator species distribution data

Abstract

Detailed information regarding the distribution of plant species in wetlands is important for wetland ecosystems manage-ment. Elevation gradients, major environmental factors that influence the spatial patterns of wetland vegetation, can be obtained at high resolution using light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In this study, we developed a new wetland habitat mapping technique that uses a high-resolution digital terrain model based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-mounted LiDAR data and information regarding the distributions of selected indicator plant species. The study site was a wetland around Omi Maiko Inland Lake in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. A high-resolution digital terrain model with an absolute positioning accuracy of ± 5 cm was cre-ated using UAV-mounted LiDAR data collected in winter, when the aboveground parts of herbaceous plants were dead and de-ciduous trees had dropped their leaves. Five indicator plant species growing in mesic to submerged grasslands were selected; the relationships of these indicator species with elevation were analysed. Elevation differences among indicator species were used to create a vegetation zoning map based on classified microtopography and indicator species distribution. The results of this study provide basic information and a new technique for wetland ecosystem management.