5m (2m-panchromatic). Photographic and digitized KVR-
1000 and TK-350 data are distributed by joint ventures
of Russian with European or U.S. agencies, thus
providing the users with 2m-panchromatic (KVR-1000)
and 10m-panchromatic (TK-350) data. DEMs with up to
+ 5m height accuracy - on condition that GPS ground
control informations are collected - are on offer. At the
moment this is the highest resolution spaceborne
imagery on market (April 1998).
2. HIGH-RESOLUTION SPACE IMAGERY VS.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
The changing patterns of landscape - may they be
influenced by natural processes and/or human activities -
have to be analysed carefully in order to understand
multi-temporal dynamics of landcover and landuse.
Remote sensing facilities allow the documentation of
state and dynamics of these real world patterns. Multi-
level monitoring of heterogeneous land-scape patterns of
either semi-natural or cultural vegetation sensu stricto
needs well-defined interpretation methods (Küchler et
Zonneveld, 1988).
Depending on the patterns of landscape represented by
elements of landscape structure and the specific remote
sensing methodology of monitoring and mapping these
elements - on the one hand vector data of visual
interpretations of aerial photographs or satellite image
prints, on the other hand raster data of digital image
interpretations - different a priori approaches for areal
subdivision of regions are necessary. The hierarchical
structure of regions implements regionalization of data
based upon the holistic understanding of ecosystem
analysis. Multi-spectral classification of raster data of
satellite sensor systems is sometimes interpreted as an
objective criterium for areal subdivision. Nevertheless
accuracies of in praxi research proof the subjectiveness
of results depending f.e. on efficiency limitations of
automation of landcover pattern recognition and texture
analysis or on the various reference levels of analysts
when choosing training samples for supervised
classification (Csaplovics, 1992).
It is thus evident, that sophisticated thematic analysis of
the forthcoming generations of high-resolution EO-data
needs a revision of classification tools in the sense of
integration of semi-automatic expert system solutions
(visual interpretation + digital classification, decision
trees) and/or software packages including both tools for
radiometric image enhancement as well as various tools
for texture analysis up to contextual multispectral
classification of multitemporal and/or multisensor data
(e.g. Duhaime et al., 1997, Edwards et Lowell, 1996,
Friedl et Brodiey, 1997, Lark, 1996, Thakur et Dikshit,
1997).
3 CASE STUDIES
The presentation of the results of pilote studies on
regional environmental monitoring supported by Russian
KFA and KVR space photography with ground resolutions
of about 2m (P) and 7-8m (R + NIR) respectively gives a
first impression of the pros and cons of the announced
spaceborne CCD-data.
Case studies focus on multithematic environmental
monitoring aspects of a national park situated in the
border region of Austria and Hungary about 50 km
southeast of Vienna. The so-called Fertó Tó National Park
was established in 1992 corresponding to the criteria of
the International Union for Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources (IUCN). Primary and secondary zones
of the park cover about 150 km?. All around these
protected zone wine-growing, single crop farming (predo-
minantly maize), exploitation of land for housing and
commercial use as well as for establishing touristic
facilities are the reasons have changed the patterns of
landcover dramatically. Environmental monitoring of the
National Park itself and of the whole region of Fertô T6 -
Hanság is of growing importance for the documentation
of the status quo of landcover and landuse as well as of
the multi-temporal dynamics of degradation and the
resulting influences on the ecological quality of the
protected regions.
The synthesis of high-resolution remotely sensed and
geo-data is an effective way to create an integrated
geographic information system for documentation,
analysis, planning and decision finding and thus
supporting the tasks of the National Park management
authorities (Csaplovics, 1993).
Multi-level remote sensing techniques in connection with
field work and mapping are tools for the multi-scale
analysis of a broad variety of thematic and spatial
parameters such as landcover, vegetation physiognomy
and even the spatial distribution and density of migratory
bird habitats (Csaplovics, 1987, Stoms et al., 1992).
Large area coverage combined with high. spatial
resolution on the one hand but limited spatial resolution
in detail - compared to the quality of aerial photography -
on the other are the antipodes of efficiency.
Interpretation of KVR- and KFA-space-photomaps for
supporting large-scale topographic and vegetation
mapping show positive results (figure 1).
A synthesis of digital BW-aerial-photomaps derived at
about 10-15-year-intervals with annually available digital
BW-space-photomaps proves the efficiency of the
documentation and analysis of multi-temporal dynamics
of landscape transition based on remotely sensed image
interpretation..
Digitized data of KFA-3000-space photography and the
corresponding aerial photography (Zeiss PS1, scan
resolution 15um - pixel size 1.5m vs. 0.45m) shows
significant differences in grey levels of objects due to
different dates of data collection, different film
sensitivities and changed landcover patterns. As the BW-
film used with the KFA-3000-system is sensitive in red-
edge adjacent near infrared wavelenghts (710nm),
vegetation and soils appear brighter than in aerial
photographs. Detectability of geometric features such as
small houses is better with aerial photography - limits are
set by the artificially spoiled resolution of the KFA-3000-
photographs. Selecting higher resolution with the
photoscanner shows therefore no siginificant increase in
detectability. Data fusion and pseudo-colouring of
geometrically corrected images gives concrete
informations on locations and thematics of landcover and
landuse change. Digitized KWR-1000- and KFA-3000-
photographic data (pixel size 15ym) show - to some
extent - topographic and thematic details comparable to
the information content of aerial photography (figure 2).
Large scale photogrammetric mapping of landcover
change by analysing multitemporal BW-' and CIR-aerial
212 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXII, Part 7, Budapest, 1998
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