In this study, characteristics and usefulness of the land cover image classified photo taken by a digital camera were discussed on the slopes of Hiiji-dake, Kuju Mountains.
The geometric correction using affine transform was applied to the images of 5 triangle areas in a taken image. The corrected image could be classified into six area types, Rhododendron kiusianum, thicket full of Alunus firma S. et Z., grass land, damaged area by insects, and others by maximum likelihood method. Considering the present relationship between land cover classification and landforms, the stable area of crest, upper sideslope and lower sideslope is dominated by Rhododendron kiusianum and the unstable area of side-hollow is dominated by thicket full of Alunus firma S. et Z. According to the land cover image classified aerial photograph before 30 years, the area of lower sideslope and side-hollow was dominated by grass land larger than now. So we can estimate that the area was more unstable than now. We think that the land cover data by the digital camera are useful for estimation of stability on the slope.
Where the target slopes about 200 meters away from the taken point, the difference in coordinates between the corrected images are estimated less than 1 meter. In this study, it cleared that the coverage rate of the each land cover classification is about 80 % on an average. The rate fluctuates about 20 % by a reason of the seasonal color change of leaves, flowers and damage by insect. The area of Rhododendron kiusianum and thicket full of Alunus firma S. et Z. tend to be larger in flourishing season and smaller in defoliate season.
Consequently, the photos taken by the digital camera can be used for the useful land cover classification maps, and we can estimate landforms in detail by maps. In the study on environmental problem and natural disaster, a lot of kinds of uses are to be expected on the photos in GIS analyses.
