Iranian Journal of Forest

Iranian Journal of Forest

Woody species diversity estimation using interpolation techniques and satellite imagery (Case study: Marivan Forests)

Document Type : Research Paper

Author
M Pir Bavaghar
Associate Prof., Dept. of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources & the Center for Research and Development of Northern Zagros Forestry, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.
10.22034/ijf.2025.485786.2014
Abstract
Introduction: Information about the spatial distribution of plant species diversity is essential for forest managers to identify vulnerable habitats. Comparing different interpolation methods and selecting the best method for estimating the woody species diversity index provides valuable information to forest managers. In this way suitable areas can be identified for reserves and other protected areas.
Material and Methods: In this research, various interpolation methods were investigated to estimate the Shannon Wiener species diversity index, as one of the most important indices of woody species diversity. Ninety-Five square sample plots with an area of 1600 square meters were used to calculate the Shannon Wiener species diversity index in a part of the forests of Marivan. Spatial interpolation methods such as inverse weighted distance (IDW), kriging, and co-kriging were used to estimate the species diversity index. The correlation coefficient between NDVI, RVI, SAVI, and NDWI spectral indices obtained from Sentinel-2 satellite images and the Shannon Wiener species diversity index was calculated, and finally, the SAVI spectral index was used as an auxiliary variable for the co-kriging method due to its higher correlation coefficient.
Results: The structural variance using the kriging and co-kriging methods was 76.8% and 91.4%, respectively, indicating a strong spatial structure of the species diversity index variable in the study area. Based on the analyzed statistics, if the species diversity index variable is used alone, the ordinary kriging method provided the best results and the lowest error compared to IDW (RMSEr = 27.043). In the case of using the SAVI spectral index auxiliary variable and the ordinary co-kriging method, an RMSEr of 26.422% was obtained, which slightly improved the Shannon-Wiener species diversity index estimation results. The influence range was 240 meters in the kriging and 4110 meters in the co-kriging method and the use of auxiliary variables. Using the SAVI spectral index has led to an increase in the range of influence and spatial correlation can be observed over greater distances.
Conclusion: This research showed that it is possible to estimate the Shannon-Wiener species diversity index using different methods of IDW, kriging, and co-kriging in the research area and other areas with a similar situation with acceptable accuracy. The best results were obtained by using the co-kriging method and using the SAVI spectral index as an auxiliary variable. Also, the smallest coefficient of variation of predicted levels was observed in the ordinary co-kriging method.
 
Keywords
Co-kriging
Kriging
Spatial structure
Zagros

Subjects

 
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Iranian Journal of Forest
Volume 17, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
Summer 2025
Pages 259-276

  • Receive Date 04 November 2024
  • Revise Date 06 January 2025
  • Accept Date 19 February 2025