Updating of Actual Vegetation Map by Plural Satellite Data and Output of the Vector Map

Abstract

Actual vegetation maps consist of detailed information mainly of association and community classification from the vegetation sociological view point. However, in many cases, they have been left unrevised without the correction due to changes by the elapse of years and update of information being given thereto since the time of their compilation.
In this study, we tried to update the vegetation information using TM and SPOT data as well as arranged actual vegetation map scaled 1/50, 000, or and overlaying the images by the unit of pixel. In updating the information, the following methods were employed.
1) Automatic input of actual vegetation map data and its transformation into images
2) Automatic classification by TM and SPOT data, and image interpretation
3) Information update by the overlaying analysis of images by the unit of pixel
4) Output in the form of vector map by converting the information update results from raster data to vector data
As a result, we were successful in enhancing the accuracy and establishing method of updating information.
In addition, we were successful not only in outputting them in the form of vector map like existing actual vegetation maps.
As the problems in the future, it should be necessary to improve the smoothing processing after raster/vector conversion, as well as to develop the smoothing method of vector data itself, to produce maps more similar to the existing actual vegetation maps.