Abstract
Satellite remote sensing provides wide-ranging and temporal information on grasslands, which are indispensable for proper grassland management. In this study the satellite monitoring of annual changes of grasslands is discussed. By applying a new method which utilizes a Grassage Standard Map to a study area in Konsen Plain, Hokkaido, Japan, increases in reflectance according to the aging of grasslands were identified from the data observed in May. The increases were considered to be a result of dead leaf accumulation on the ground surface of grasslands. In the June data, sudden decreases of reflectance in the near infrared and middle-infrared bands were identified within the 4 years period after the grass-renovation. The decreases may be a result of changes in grass biomass and grass species composition. The results demonstrate the significance of the new method for grassland monitoring.
