Uniformity indices for young Eucalyptus plantations derived from drone
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5902/1980509889931Keywords:
Structural uniformity, Forest plantations, Ratio modelAbstract
Forest plantations exhibiting heterogeneous growth may experience production losses. In this context, understanding stand uniformity is essential for making silvicultural decisions regarding the area in which the plantation is established. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (a) investigate the feasibility of using drones to map the structural uniformity of forest plantations; and (b) demonstrate the applicability of uniformity indices for assessing the structure of young Eucalyptus plantations. The study was conducted in one-year-old clonal plantations located in Ortigueira, Paraná, Brazil. Drone imagery was acquired using the Phantom and Sequoia platforms, both equipped with red, green, and blue (RGB) sensors. A digital elevation model, a digital surface model, and an orthomosaic were generated from these images. The following uniformity indices were calculated: PH25, PH50, and PH75, CV%, and G. Indices derived from conventional forest inventory data were compared with those obtained from drone imagery using the chi-square (χ²) test. Plantation uniformity was successfully estimated from drone imagery. The uniformity indices derived from drone data did not differ significantly from those obtained using the conventional forest inventory method. The PH25 index may lead to a distorted interpretation of uniformity in plantations with high three mortality rates. The combined analysis of PH50, PH75 CV%, and G provides a more comprehensive assessment of plantation structural uniformity.
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