eCognition is a versatile software tool that plays a crucial role in remote sensing and ecological research. It enables ecologists to extract meaningful information from drone imagery, helping them take actions to manage and preserve ecosystems effectively.
Primarily used for object-based image analysis, eCognition examines pixels and points within the images, not in isolation but in the context of their surroundings. It can be used to quantify ecological trends very effectively such as changes in vegetation types and densities.
A land cover analysis using eCognition is being conducted at the Liberty Island Conservation Bank, with a team including RES ecologists Dawn Cunningham, Tyler Rose, Justin Chappelle, Sarah Rose, and GIS analyst Sean Martinez. The superior results so far are promising for its use in remote sensing and geospatial analysis.
Plant identification and drone imagery collection are the building blocks needed to use eCognition software for aerial land cover studies, like those initiated at the Liberty Island Conservation Bank and the Kreyenhagen Hills Conservation Bank and Coalinga Preserve in fall 2021 and 2022.
Tracking invasive species at this scale can help ecologists understand patterns of the shifts in vegetation and the effectiveness of prior season’s management techniques.
Getting an aerial snapshot in time of the distribution of wetland shubs and trees can assist in developing a management plan, with insights not easily gained from the ground alone.
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