Photogrammetric and GIS techniques for the development of vegetation databases of mountainous areas: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

摘要

Detailed vegetation databases and associated maps of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a rugged, forested area of more than 2000 km~2, were constructed to support resource management activities of the U.S. National Park Service (NFS). These detailed vegetation databases and associated maps have a terrain relief exceeding 1700 m and a continuous forest cover over 95% of the Park. The requirement to use 1:12,000- and 1:40,000-scale color infrared aerial photographs as the primary data source for mapping overstory and understory vegetation, respectively, necessitated the integration of analog photointerpretation with both digital softcopy photogrammetry and geographic information system (GIS) procedures to overcome problems associated with excessive terrain relief and a lack of ground control. Applications of the vegetation database and associated large-scale maps include assessments of vegetation patterns related to management activities and quantification of forest fire fuels.