Remote sensing of american maple in alluvial forests: a case study in an island complex of the Loire valley (France)

A groundbreaking study demonstrates that American maple (Acer negundo L.) can be detected with over 90% accuracy in alluvial forests using a combination of LiDAR data and very high-resolution multispectral imagery. The research, conducted on an island complex in the Loire Valley, France, reveals that coupling point cloud height standard deviation with a red-green-blue vegetation index effectively discriminates this invasive species from native Black poplar (Populus nigra L.) forests. This method offers a precise tool for monitoring biodiversity in riparian ecosystems, which are critical due to their unique topographic position between land and river. The findings highlight the potential of remote sensing techniques to enhance conservation efforts in these ecologically rich environments.

Martin, H., Monnet, J., De Boisvilliers, M., Chevalier, R., & Villar, M. (2020). Remote sensing of american maple in alluvial forests: a case study in an island complex of the Loire valley (France). iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, 13(1), 409–416. https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor3237-013