Remote Sensing of Cerasus×Yedoensis

Abstract

Monitoring of cherry flowering phenology at multiple points over a wide area is important to deepen our understanding of the influence of climate change on plant phenology and ecosystem services. Toward this aim, we developed a simple quantitative monitoring method using a digital camera and GIS software on a personal computer to minimize limitations of observation location, time, and budget. The method allows us to evaluate changes over time in the flowering phenology of Cerasus×yedoensis by examining the canopy gap fraction extracted from binarized daily images in photographs taken upwards from the floor. To extend the utility of this method, here we explain the results of 11 years of observations in Yokohama, Japan, as an example and discuss our perspectives of monitoring flowering phenology with this method.