Assessment of Moss Spectral Reflectance as Indicators of Surface Moisture Content

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ENCS 282 Proposal and Technical Report
Dhiren Bhatia
1275 Rachel St. E. !ontreal "C. #2$ 2$%
phone& 1'51('(7)')*%* + e,ail& dhiren-./ic.ca
0e1r.ar2 13 2311
Abstract:
The e44icienc2 o4 .sin5 re,ote sensin5 technolo5ies to collect data o/er lar5e s6aths o4 land is
.nprecedented. The spectral characteristics o4 ,oss species in the Boreal re5ion north o4 !ontreal 6ill 1e tested and
anal27ed 4or acc.rac2 and the /ia1ilit2 o4 .sin5 ,oss as an indicator species 6ill 1e assessed. Re,otel2 sensed data
can incl.de satellites 1.t to ens.re a 5ood data set 5ro.nd data is necessar2. This tool co,1ines 6ith on 5ro.nd data
collection ,a2 pro/e to 1e a /ia1le research ,ethod. 8n'4ield and in'la1 data anal2sis 6ill assi5n spectral si5nat.res
in the /isi1le and near'in4rared sections o4 the electro,a5nectic spectr.,. This 6ill deter,ine 6hether it 6ill 1e
possi1le to .se satellites 4or 4.rther data.
Introduction:
9s o.r c.rrent cli,ate shi4ts at an .nprecedented rate the ,eas.res c.rrentl2 ta:en in the
anal2sis and ,onitorin5 o4 these chan5es are o4 .t,ost i,portance. D.e to the i,,ense scale o4
o.r planet Earth and the intr.si/e nat.re o4 so,e research 8 propose a re,ote'sensin5 sol.tion to
,onitor and anal27e /ast areas o4 land. This tas: can 1e acco,plished 12 ,onitorin5 a speci4ic
indicator plant or species that is a1.ndant in the ecos2ste, and is also sensiti/e to an2 chan5es in
its en/iron,ent. !osses are co,,on plant co,,.nities in 6etlands across North 9,erica.
!osses located in peatlands are so,e o4 the 6orld;s lar5est car1on stores and are part o4 the
5lo1al car1on c2cle as the2 are si5ni4icant contri1.tors in the se<.estration and release o4 car1on
5ases =(>. !an2 di44erent species o4 ,oss are pro,inent in 6etlands and pla2 a role in
,aintainin5 1iodi/ersit2 and richness in these ecos2ste,s. B2 4indin5 speci4ic characteristics o4
these indicator species as spectral si5nat.res and appl2in5 these si5nat.res to a lar5e scale
s.r/e2 ideall2 12 satellites 6ill pro/ide a distinct and .ni/ersal indicator species 4or 4.t.re
researchers to 4oc.s .pon.
Technical Description of Problem:
!ost ,osses hold a lar5e a,o.nt o4 6ater d.e to their non'/asc.lar nat.re and these
,osses re<.ire a contin.o.s s.ppl2 o4 ,oist.re 4or s.stainin5 li4e and 5ro6th. The2 are capa1le
o4 holdin5 se/eral ti,es the a,o.nt o4 6ater as their dr2 6ei5ht? the a,o.nt o4 6ater held 6ithin
the canop2 o4 ,oss is o4ten a 4.nction o4 6ater a/aila1ilit2 =( 7> and indi/id.al species
str.ct.re. This ,a:es certain species o4 ,oss hi5hl2 sensiti/e to an2 /aria1ilit2 and the2 are th.s
5ood indicators o4 6ater a/aila1ilit2 =2>. D.e to this characteristic ,oss species ha/e distincti/e
spectral re4lecti/e properties that can 1e anal27ed to deter,ine s.r4ace 6etness =)>. These
spectral properties incl.de noticea1le 1and a1sorption 4eat.res 6ithin the electro,a5netic
spectr., speci4icall2 the /isi1le ran5e @)83 n,'753 n,A and near'in4rared ran5e @753 n,'1353
n,A =2>.
Rather than cond.ctin5 intr.si/e and da,a5in5 h2drolo5ical ,eas.re,ents in 6etland
areas re,ote sensin5 techni<.es can 1e a cost e44ecti/e ,ethod 4or o1tainin5 data on s.r4ace
,oist.re 12 .sin5 ,oss as an indicator species =2 (>. B2 .sin5 this ,ethod it is possi1le to
increase data ac<.isition e44icienc2 in lar5er spatial en/iron,ents 12 ac<.irin5 <.anti4ied
detailed seasonal h2drolo5ical data across entire peatland re5ions =(>. Controlled stora5e and
,aintenance o4 the ac<.ired sa,ple ,oss species 6ill 1e re<.ired to ens.re the characteristics o4
the ,osses are not co,pro,ised.
B2 cond.ctin5 this research the e44ecti/eness o4 speci4ic ,osses as indicator species 6ill
1e deter,ined and their spectral characteristics can then 1e .sed in 4.rther st.dies pertainin5 to
cli,ate research. B2 deter,inin5 the special characteristics o4 an indicator species in the
spectral ran5e it 6ill pro/ide a positi/e lin:a5e 1et6een c.rrent and potential research
cond.cted and allo6 4or 5reater pro5ress in ,onitorin5 cli,ate chan5e.
Proposed Solution:
The 5oal o4 this proBect 6ill 1e to assess 6hether the spectral re4lectance o4 ,oss species
representati/e o4 the te,perate Boreal re5ion s.rro.ndin5 !ontreal is a /ia1le ,ethod 4or
deter,inin5 s.r4ace ,oist.re content. The o1Becti/es 6ill 1e& to create a controlled la1
en/iron,ent that e,.lates ,oist.re stress si,ilar to that o4 dro.5ht and sat.rated conditions 4or
ac<.ired sa,ple species? to assess di44erent species o4 ,oss to deter,ine the /aria1ilit2 o4
spectral a1sorption 1ands in the /isi1le and near'in4rared @N8RA ran5es o4 the electro,a5netic
spectr.,? and to deter,ine the /ia1ilit2 o4 .sin5 satellite i,a5er2 to te,porall2 indicate
s.r4ace ,oist.re content in 1o5s and 6etland areas in st.d2 areas.
Research in this 4ield has sho6n that
dependin5 on location and cli,ate .sin5
spectral re4lectance is a ,ethod 4or
deter,inin5 s.r4ace 6etness in a re5ion =)
(>. Chen it co,es to the topic o4 6hether
.ni<.e characteristics eDist in ,osses ,ost
researchers 6o.ld a5ree that that is the case.
8 a5ree 6ith this 1.t 8 6o.ld li:e to add that
this is the pri,ar2 reason 6h2 the proposed sol.tion 6o.ld allo6 4or re,ote sensin5 s2ste,s to
1e accepta1le tools in 4.rther cli,ate research. 8t is s.55ested that di44erent ,oss speci,ens
ha/e lo6 /aria1ilit2 in spectral properties and ,ost ha/e a .ni<.e a1sorption 4eat.re at 853n, in
the near'in4rared =2>. 8n so,e ,osses this 4eat.re can also 1e located at 1333 n, =2>. This is
6hat allo6s 4or re,ote sensin5 s2ste,s to 1e appropriate in deter,inin5 s.r4ace 6etness 12
.sin5 ,oss rather than /asc.lar plants 6hich do not tolerate lo6 6ater content =8>.
Colo.r di44erences o4 ,oss species can 1e noted d.rin5 ,oist.re stress as 6ell 6hich
a44ects their spectral pro4ile as the re4lectance chan5es =2>. Creatin5 a la1 en/iron,ent that can
e,.late ,oist.re stress can 1e replicated and .sed 4or de4inin5 the /aria1ilit2 o4 these 6ater
a1sorption 1ands =)>.
List of Materials/Expenses:
Concordia Ereenho.se Reasearch Space ' F*33
9SD 0ieldSpec Spectroradio,eter Rent 4ro, Ga1H in !idland IN 4or 13
6ee: period ' F)%33
!aterials 4or dar:roo, constr.ction ' F533
Cali1rated Cei5h Scale Rent 4ro, Ga1H in !idland IN ' F(33
#andheld hi5h'precision EPS .nit ' F(33
Jiploc Ba5s ' F*
Saran Crap ' F(
Researcher EDpenses @Salaries transport co,p.ters clip1oard etcA ' F(3%3
!iscellaneo.s ' F133
Proposed Timeline for research:
Cee: Ine& Concordia Ereenho.se Research Ga1 9c<.isition constr.ct 6or:a1le
dar:roo, 9SD 0ieldSpec instr.,ent ac<.isition test r.n o4 e<.ip,ent and
initial cali1ration.
Cee: T6o& 8n'4ield eDploration 4or deter,inin5 the 1est sa,plin5 site research
potential locall2 a/aila1le ,oss species and identi42 in 4ield.
Cee: Three& Collect and catalo5 sa,ples cond.ct in'sit. re4lectance readin5s
transport ,oss to la1 and set .p in research area.
Cee:s 0o.r SiD& Cond.ct in'la1 re4lectance readin5s o/er a 2 6ee: period.
This sho.ld allo6 4or s.44icient ti,e 4or the ,oss to dr2 o.t.
Cee:s Se/en Ei5ht& Ens.re ,oss is dr2 and anal27e the data 6ith statistical
,eas.res.
Cee:s Nine Ten& Co,plete anal2sis 6rite report and deter,ine /ia1ilit2 o4
,oss deconstr.ct la1 space and ret.rn e<.ip,ent.
Field Work
Ce 6ill 1e5in 6ith the initial sa,ple collection 6hich 6ill 1e collected in the 4ield. 8n
1oreal and te,perate re5ions sphagnum ,osses are one o4 the pri,ar2 co,ponents o4 peatland
/e5etation =*>. Sa,ple species o4 sphagnum ,oss can 1e ac<.ired 4ro, the Ga.rentian area
north o4 the Cit2 o4 !ontreal. Sphagnum ,osses can 1e identi4ied as 6ater'4illed plants that can
4or, 5reen or reddish c.shions. The2 4or, s,all scale'shaped lea/es that 5ro6 on the ste,s and
1ranches and .s.all2 /ar2 1et6een 13 and (3 c, in len5th. 9s there are o/er 1*3 species o4
sphagnum ,osses 5ro6in5 6orld6ide it is i,portant to speci42 6hich the ones that 5ro6 in
Canada. Co,,on species in Canada incl.de& Sphagnum angustifolium, Sphagnum fuscum,
Sphagnum magellanicum and Sphagnum ruellum =*>. The ,oss sa,ples 6ill 1e selected 4or
health2 5reen appearance and 5ro6th characteristics representati/e o4 the ,aBorit2 o4 ,oss
sa,ples o1ser/ed in the 4ield =8>. Sections o4 the 4ield ,osses 6ill 1e c.t in si,ilar s<.are si7es
approDi,atel2 23 c, D 23 c,. This 6ill pro/ide an appropriate co/era5e 4or the 4ield o4 /ie6
and ac<.isition 5eo,etr2 6ith the 9SD Spectroradio,eter.
The ideal en/iron,ental condition at ti,e o4 collection ,.st ha/e so,e en/iron,ental
,oist.re a/aila1le in the area 6hich 6o.ld 1e d.e to sprin5 or s.,,er rains. This is to ens.re
that the sa,ples collected 6ill ha/e 1een sat.rated 6ith a/aila1le ,oist.re. The sa,ples 6ill
then 1e collected in Jiploc 1a5s catalo5.ed and transported to the Concordia Ereenho.se 4or
anal2sis. Ceather and e<.ip,ent per,ittin5 in'sit. data collection 6ill 1e .sed as control
sat.ration re4lectance le/el. 9 EPS readin5 6ill 1e ta:en at each sa,ple site to the hi5hest
precision possi1le this 6ill 1e 1ene4icial 6hen lin:in5 6ith satellites. Species chosen in 4ield
6ill 1e 1ased on a/aila1ilit2.
La !nal"sis
This la1orator2 en/iron,ent 6ill 1e set .p to test ,oist.re stress in ,osses 6hich is
indicated thro.5h spectral chan5e and 6ater a1sorption 1ands in the /isi1le and N8R ran5e o4 the
electro,a5netic spectr.,.
Spectral ,eas.re,ents o4 ,oss sa,ples 6ill 1e ta:en .sin5 the 9SD 0ieldSpec
spectroradio,eter 6hich pro/ides a spectral ran5e o4 1et6een )53 n, and 1353 n,.
The sa,ples 1ro.5ht 1ac: to the Concordia Ereenho.se 6ill 1e p.t on Saran 6rap and
then i,,ediatel2 6ei5hed on the cali1rated 6ei5ht scale to deter,ine the 6ei5ht 4or 4.ll2
sat.rated sa,ples. These sa,ples 6ill then 1e anal27ed in a dar:roo, set'.p 4or their spectral
re4lectance /al.es 12 the cali1rated spectroradio,eter. This process 6ill 1e repeated and tested at
periodic incre,ents o/er a t6o 6ee: period or .ntil the sa,ple species are co,pletel2 dr2 =8>.
The 4ollo6in5 is an o.tline o4 the pro5ression o4 steps&
1. Position ,oss sa,ples on saran 6rap .nder 9SD 0ieldSpec?
2. Cali1rate spectroradio,eter 12 ta:in5 dar: re4erence and 6hite re4erence readin5s
6ith a 6hite disc?
). !eas.re each ,oss sa,ple;s spectral re4lectance?
(. Photo5raph sa,ple la2o.t?
5. Repeat steps 1'( 4or sat.rated sa,ples se,i'sat.rated sa,ples @7 da2s laterA and dr2
sa,ples @8'1( da2s laterA.
The arran5e,ent 4or ac<.isition o4 spectral re4lectance is 1ased on the st.d2 cond.cted
12 Bale =1> 1.t ,a2 incl.de so,e ,inor chan5es d.e to .n4oreseen in'la1 restrictions.
0i5.re 2& Possi1le ran5e o4 in'la1 e<.ip,ent 5eo,etr2
0i5.re 2 a1o/e ill.strates the potential 5eo,etr2 in the la1 dar:roo, located in the
Concordia Ereenho.se on the 12
th
4loor o4 the #all 1.ildin5. Dependin5 on the si7e o4 the ,oss
sa,ples collected and the hei5ht set .p the ac<.isition 5eo,etr2 ,i5ht 1e ,anip.lated. There
6ill 1e a hi5h po6ered sodi., la,p to ill.,inate the ,oss sa,ples 4ro, a (5 de5ree an5le and
the spectroradio,eter 6ill 1e set .p at a hei5ht ran5e o4 .(8, to .*3, a1o/e the ,oss sa,ples.
8t is also i,portant to ta:e into acco.nt that as ,oss species lose ,oist.re content and dr2 o.t
there 6ill 1e a red.ction in the o/erall si7e.
Conclusion:
Ksin5 ,oss as an indicator species o4 s.r4ace 6etness is a /ia1le techni<.e to anal27e
,oist.re content 1eca.se there is a lar5e contin.o.s co/era5e o4 ,oss the Boreal re5ion
there4ore this techni<.e 6o.ld 6or: 6ell 4ro, a re,ote sensin5 perspecti/e. The .se o4 an2
satellite 6o.ld 1e an e44icient ,ethod 4or ac<.irin5 lar5e a,o.nts o4 rele/ant data. Researchers
,a2 1e challen5ed to locate and identi42 eno.5h ,oss co/era5e in the so.thern Boreal re5ion or
in .r1an areas 1.t the .se o4 the spectral /al.es o4 ,oss 6ith satellite i,a5er2 is /er2 applica1le
in northern locations. There 6ill 1e lar5er co/era5e o4 ,oss o/er lar5e spatial re5ions in the
re,ote near'polar re5ions o4 Earth. This is 6here the 1i55est e44ect o4 cli,ate chan5e is 1ein5
reali7ed and 6e can .se this /ast eDpanse o4 land co,1ined 6ith 5athered :no6led5e to help
h.,ans .nderstand and ,onitor cli,ate chan5e.
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