Ecological concerns, UAV data requirements and current studies using UAV remote sensing at different ecological scales
| Ecological scale . | Ecological concerns . | UAV data requirement . | Previous studies using UAV remote sensing . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | The relationship between an individual organism and its environmental factors, including the relationship between individual growth, environmental conditions and biological adaptability to the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: day to year; millimeter to decimeter | Individual detection [90, 143, 191, 217, 313, 251, 385, 399]; location [64, 82, 249]; number [69, 99]; growth [201, 250, 400]; crown structure [201, 249]; crown width [64, 249]; crown volume [365]; crown projection area [143]; height [64, 82, 249, 251, 384, 400]; stem diameter [55]; phenology [400] |
| Population | The variation of population size or quantity in time or space and its regulatory mechanisms. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Population size [163, 194, 262]; spatial distribution mapping [165, 167, 193, 196, 210, 231, 238, 360]; spatial and temporal variability [130, 164, 181, 275, 351]; seedling emergence [38, 95, 279, 309, 341]; phenological traits [239, 248] |
| Community | The relationship between community and environment. It mainly studies the structure, function, formation and development of plant community as well as the interrelationship with the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Interspecific relationship [3, 37]; functional traits [4, 17, 36, 39, 43, 49, 61, 77, 78, 106, 180, 190, 247, 316]; canopy structure [16, 20, 81, 86, 91, 110, 184, 202, 219, 307, 394]; community structure [31, 65, 70, 75, 87, 94, 105, 111, 126, 282, 377, 379]; phenology [22, 27, 100, 256, 314, 392]; aboveground biomass [23, 57, 63, 131, 135, 138, 148, 152, 170, 182, 188, 218, 220, 258]; communities classification [32, 127, 224, 298, 327]; relationship between canopy variables and biodiversity patterns [40]; community recovery monitoring [42, 237]; community composition [47, 205, 225, 226, 263, 264, 356]; |
| community disturbances [54, 141, 192]; community health [28, 72, 159, 236, 278, 369, 350]; spatial and temporal variability [74, 204, 207, 223, 355, 358, 368]; biodiversity [102, 333]; effect of canopy structure on light interception [376] | |||
| Ecosystem | The ecosystem processes, structures, functions, management, material cycles and energy flows. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to decimeter | Plant diseases and insect pests [156, 227, 270, 273, 287, 293, 335, 342, 390]; productivity [35, 62, 83, 84, 96, 139, 145, 153, 166, 288, 391, 397]; biological invasion [183, 268, 340, 345]; ecosystem management [185, 265, 269, 276, 318, 397]; ecosystem monitoring [45, 260, 277, 297]; habitat monitoring | [68, 80, 132, 304]; disturbance feedbacks [155]; environmental monitoring [53, 59, 119, 178, 254, 322]; fire monitoring [234]; relationship between vegetation structure and the thermal environment [147]; influences of human disturbance [370] |
| Landscape | The spatial structures, interactions, coordination functions and dynamics of the entirety of many different ecosystems. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to meter | Habitat fragmentation [48]; land cover classification [108, 154, 169, 187, |299, 344]; vegetation type classification [109, 136, 198, 200]; farming landscape management [142, 176]; ecosystem phenology [206] |
| Ecological scale . | Ecological concerns . | UAV data requirement . | Previous studies using UAV remote sensing . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | The relationship between an individual organism and its environmental factors, including the relationship between individual growth, environmental conditions and biological adaptability to the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: day to year; millimeter to decimeter | Individual detection [90, 143, 191, 217, 313, 251, 385, 399]; location [64, 82, 249]; number [69, 99]; growth [201, 250, 400]; crown structure [201, 249]; crown width [64, 249]; crown volume [365]; crown projection area [143]; height [64, 82, 249, 251, 384, 400]; stem diameter [55]; phenology [400] |
| Population | The variation of population size or quantity in time or space and its regulatory mechanisms. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Population size [163, 194, 262]; spatial distribution mapping [165, 167, 193, 196, 210, 231, 238, 360]; spatial and temporal variability [130, 164, 181, 275, 351]; seedling emergence [38, 95, 279, 309, 341]; phenological traits [239, 248] |
| Community | The relationship between community and environment. It mainly studies the structure, function, formation and development of plant community as well as the interrelationship with the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Interspecific relationship [3, 37]; functional traits [4, 17, 36, 39, 43, 49, 61, 77, 78, 106, 180, 190, 247, 316]; canopy structure [16, 20, 81, 86, 91, 110, 184, 202, 219, 307, 394]; community structure [31, 65, 70, 75, 87, 94, 105, 111, 126, 282, 377, 379]; phenology [22, 27, 100, 256, 314, 392]; aboveground biomass [23, 57, 63, 131, 135, 138, 148, 152, 170, 182, 188, 218, 220, 258]; communities classification [32, 127, 224, 298, 327]; relationship between canopy variables and biodiversity patterns [40]; community recovery monitoring [42, 237]; community composition [47, 205, 225, 226, 263, 264, 356]; |
| community disturbances [54, 141, 192]; community health [28, 72, 159, 236, 278, 369, 350]; spatial and temporal variability [74, 204, 207, 223, 355, 358, 368]; biodiversity [102, 333]; effect of canopy structure on light interception [376] | |||
| Ecosystem | The ecosystem processes, structures, functions, management, material cycles and energy flows. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to decimeter | Plant diseases and insect pests [156, 227, 270, 273, 287, 293, 335, 342, 390]; productivity [35, 62, 83, 84, 96, 139, 145, 153, 166, 288, 391, 397]; biological invasion [183, 268, 340, 345]; ecosystem management [185, 265, 269, 276, 318, 397]; ecosystem monitoring [45, 260, 277, 297]; habitat monitoring | [68, 80, 132, 304]; disturbance feedbacks [155]; environmental monitoring [53, 59, 119, 178, 254, 322]; fire monitoring [234]; relationship between vegetation structure and the thermal environment [147]; influences of human disturbance [370] |
| Landscape | The spatial structures, interactions, coordination functions and dynamics of the entirety of many different ecosystems. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to meter | Habitat fragmentation [48]; land cover classification [108, 154, 169, 187, |299, 344]; vegetation type classification [109, 136, 198, 200]; farming landscape management [142, 176]; ecosystem phenology [206] |
Note: The references can be found in Appendix S1: Reviewed references list.
Ecological concerns, UAV data requirements and current studies using UAV remote sensing at different ecological scales
| Ecological scale . | Ecological concerns . | UAV data requirement . | Previous studies using UAV remote sensing . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | The relationship between an individual organism and its environmental factors, including the relationship between individual growth, environmental conditions and biological adaptability to the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: day to year; millimeter to decimeter | Individual detection [90, 143, 191, 217, 313, 251, 385, 399]; location [64, 82, 249]; number [69, 99]; growth [201, 250, 400]; crown structure [201, 249]; crown width [64, 249]; crown volume [365]; crown projection area [143]; height [64, 82, 249, 251, 384, 400]; stem diameter [55]; phenology [400] |
| Population | The variation of population size or quantity in time or space and its regulatory mechanisms. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Population size [163, 194, 262]; spatial distribution mapping [165, 167, 193, 196, 210, 231, 238, 360]; spatial and temporal variability [130, 164, 181, 275, 351]; seedling emergence [38, 95, 279, 309, 341]; phenological traits [239, 248] |
| Community | The relationship between community and environment. It mainly studies the structure, function, formation and development of plant community as well as the interrelationship with the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Interspecific relationship [3, 37]; functional traits [4, 17, 36, 39, 43, 49, 61, 77, 78, 106, 180, 190, 247, 316]; canopy structure [16, 20, 81, 86, 91, 110, 184, 202, 219, 307, 394]; community structure [31, 65, 70, 75, 87, 94, 105, 111, 126, 282, 377, 379]; phenology [22, 27, 100, 256, 314, 392]; aboveground biomass [23, 57, 63, 131, 135, 138, 148, 152, 170, 182, 188, 218, 220, 258]; communities classification [32, 127, 224, 298, 327]; relationship between canopy variables and biodiversity patterns [40]; community recovery monitoring [42, 237]; community composition [47, 205, 225, 226, 263, 264, 356]; |
| community disturbances [54, 141, 192]; community health [28, 72, 159, 236, 278, 369, 350]; spatial and temporal variability [74, 204, 207, 223, 355, 358, 368]; biodiversity [102, 333]; effect of canopy structure on light interception [376] | |||
| Ecosystem | The ecosystem processes, structures, functions, management, material cycles and energy flows. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to decimeter | Plant diseases and insect pests [156, 227, 270, 273, 287, 293, 335, 342, 390]; productivity [35, 62, 83, 84, 96, 139, 145, 153, 166, 288, 391, 397]; biological invasion [183, 268, 340, 345]; ecosystem management [185, 265, 269, 276, 318, 397]; ecosystem monitoring [45, 260, 277, 297]; habitat monitoring | [68, 80, 132, 304]; disturbance feedbacks [155]; environmental monitoring [53, 59, 119, 178, 254, 322]; fire monitoring [234]; relationship between vegetation structure and the thermal environment [147]; influences of human disturbance [370] |
| Landscape | The spatial structures, interactions, coordination functions and dynamics of the entirety of many different ecosystems. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to meter | Habitat fragmentation [48]; land cover classification [108, 154, 169, 187, |299, 344]; vegetation type classification [109, 136, 198, 200]; farming landscape management [142, 176]; ecosystem phenology [206] |
| Ecological scale . | Ecological concerns . | UAV data requirement . | Previous studies using UAV remote sensing . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | The relationship between an individual organism and its environmental factors, including the relationship between individual growth, environmental conditions and biological adaptability to the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: day to year; millimeter to decimeter | Individual detection [90, 143, 191, 217, 313, 251, 385, 399]; location [64, 82, 249]; number [69, 99]; growth [201, 250, 400]; crown structure [201, 249]; crown width [64, 249]; crown volume [365]; crown projection area [143]; height [64, 82, 249, 251, 384, 400]; stem diameter [55]; phenology [400] |
| Population | The variation of population size or quantity in time or space and its regulatory mechanisms. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Population size [163, 194, 262]; spatial distribution mapping [165, 167, 193, 196, 210, 231, 238, 360]; spatial and temporal variability [130, 164, 181, 275, 351]; seedling emergence [38, 95, 279, 309, 341]; phenological traits [239, 248] |
| Community | The relationship between community and environment. It mainly studies the structure, function, formation and development of plant community as well as the interrelationship with the environment. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to year; centimeter to decimeter | Interspecific relationship [3, 37]; functional traits [4, 17, 36, 39, 43, 49, 61, 77, 78, 106, 180, 190, 247, 316]; canopy structure [16, 20, 81, 86, 91, 110, 184, 202, 219, 307, 394]; community structure [31, 65, 70, 75, 87, 94, 105, 111, 126, 282, 377, 379]; phenology [22, 27, 100, 256, 314, 392]; aboveground biomass [23, 57, 63, 131, 135, 138, 148, 152, 170, 182, 188, 218, 220, 258]; communities classification [32, 127, 224, 298, 327]; relationship between canopy variables and biodiversity patterns [40]; community recovery monitoring [42, 237]; community composition [47, 205, 225, 226, 263, 264, 356]; |
| community disturbances [54, 141, 192]; community health [28, 72, 159, 236, 278, 369, 350]; spatial and temporal variability [74, 204, 207, 223, 355, 358, 368]; biodiversity [102, 333]; effect of canopy structure on light interception [376] | |||
| Ecosystem | The ecosystem processes, structures, functions, management, material cycles and energy flows. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to decimeter | Plant diseases and insect pests [156, 227, 270, 273, 287, 293, 335, 342, 390]; productivity [35, 62, 83, 84, 96, 139, 145, 153, 166, 288, 391, 397]; biological invasion [183, 268, 340, 345]; ecosystem management [185, 265, 269, 276, 318, 397]; ecosystem monitoring [45, 260, 277, 297]; habitat monitoring | [68, 80, 132, 304]; disturbance feedbacks [155]; environmental monitoring [53, 59, 119, 178, 254, 322]; fire monitoring [234]; relationship between vegetation structure and the thermal environment [147]; influences of human disturbance [370] |
| Landscape | The spatial structures, interactions, coordination functions and dynamics of the entirety of many different ecosystems. | Sensors: RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal Temporal–spatial resolution: month to decades; centimeter to meter | Habitat fragmentation [48]; land cover classification [108, 154, 169, 187, |299, 344]; vegetation type classification [109, 136, 198, 200]; farming landscape management [142, 176]; ecosystem phenology [206] |
Note: The references can be found in Appendix S1: Reviewed references list.
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