This study reviewed and evaluated different groups of satellite image -based vegetation indices for estimating vegetation cover in southern arid rangelands of South Australia. Slope-based, distance-based, orthogonal transformation, and plant-water sensitive vegetation indices were calculated from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor data. These indices were compared with vegetation cover data collected by the SA Pastoral Management Branch (PMB) as part of the Pastoral Lease Assessment program. Relationships between vegetation cover and various vegetation indices were compared using linear regression at two different scales: landscape scale involving a range of land types present within an entire Landsat scene, and within selected land systems. Among the different vegetation indices, Stress Related Vegetation indices from the group of plant-water sensitive vegetation indices showed the most significant relationships with vegetation cover at the 95% confidence level at both landscape and land system scale. It was generally observed that the estimation of vegetation cover within land systems was more accurate than across land systems.
Renmark, South Australia
ISSN 1323 660
Full-text publications from the Australian Rangelands Society (ARS) Biennial Conference Proceedings (1997-), Rangeland Journal (ARS/CSIRO; 1976-), plus videos and other resources about the rangelands of Australia.