Article

Yuri F. Rozhkov, PhD, Deputy Director of the State Nature Reserve «Olekminsky» (678100, Olekminsk, st. Filatova, 6); e-mail: olekmazap-nauka@yandex.ru
Maria Yu. Kondakova, PhD, Senior Researcher, Hydrochemical Institute (344090, Rostov-on-Don, Stachki Avenue, 198); e-mail: vesna-dm@mail.ru

Rozhkov Yu.F., Kondakova M.Yu. 2019. Assessment of the post-fire forest restoration dynamics in the Olekminsky State Nature Reserve (Russia) according to data of Landsat satellite images. Nature Conservation Research 4(Suppl.1): 1–10. https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2019.014

The use of time series of satellite images allows us to trace the dynamics in the processes of reforestation and forest formation. We estimated the use of the results of cluster analysis of the pixel distribution in the monitoring of post-fire forest restoration. We processed multispectral mid-resolution satellite images (and their fragments) of Landsat 8, Landsat TM/ЕТМ+, Landsat MSS taken in 1973–2016 using the following cluster analysis tools: unmanaged ISODATA classification and thematic difference. The thematic difference was calculated between the results of classifying data into two, four, six, and ten classes. We demonstrated that the post-fire forest restoration takes place in different burned areas with different wildfire intensity. It also depends on the proportion of post-fire wastelands. For example, greater areas of post-fire disturbance have been noted in conditions of a larger proportion of post-fire wastelands. In severely fire-damaged areas, the post-fire vegetation restoration was more intense than in slightly fire-damaged. We calculated the index characterising the forest cover in burned areas. We demonstrated its increase over the time. We considered the relationship between the change in the index characterising the forest cover over the time and the thematic difference of pixels.

index characterising the forest cover, Isodata classification, satellite image interpretation, thematic difference, reforestation process

Received: 09.07.2018. Revised: 07.02.2019. Accepted: 21.02.2019.

Alexander H.D., Natali S.M., Loranty M.M., Ludwig S.M., Spektor V.V., Davydov S., Zimov N., Trujillo I., Mack M.C. 2018. Impacts of increased soil burn severity on larch forest regeneration on permafrost soils of far northeastern Siberia. Forest Ecology and Management 417: 144–153. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.03.008
Bartalev S.A, Stytsenko F.V., Khvostikov S.A., Lupyan E.A. 2017. Methodology of post-fire tree mortality monitoring and prediction using remote sensing data. Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa 14(6): 176–193. [In Russian]
Furyaev V.V. 1996. The wildfire role in the process of forest formation. Novosibirsk: Nauka. 253 p. [In Russian]
Groisman P.Ya., Sherstyukov B.G., Razuvaev V.N., Knight R.W., Enloe J.G., Stroumentova N.S., Whitfield P.H., Førland E., Hannsen-Bauer I., Tuomenvirta H., Aleksandersson H., Mescherskaya A.V., Karl T.R. 2007. Potential forest fire danger over Northern Eurasia: Changes during the 20^th century. Global and Planetary Change 56(3–4): 371–386. DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2006.07.029
Hao W.M., Petkov A., Nordgren B.L., Corley R.E., Silverstein R.P., Urbanski S.P., Evangeliou N., Balkanski Y., Kinder B.L. 2016. Daily black carbon emissions from fires in northern Eurasia for 2002–2015. Geoscientific Model Development 9(12): 4461–4474. DOI: 10.5194/gmd-9-4461-2016
Isaev A.S., Knyazeva S.V., Puzachenko M.Yu., Chernenkova Т.V. 2009. Use of satellite data for monitoring of forest biodiversity. Issledovanie Zemli iz Kosmosa 2: 55–66. [In Russian]
Isaev A.S., Sukhovolsky V.G., Khlebopros R.G., Buzykin A.I., Ovchinnikova T.M. 2005. Modeling of Forest-forming Process: Phenomenological Approach. Russian Journal of Forest Science 1: 3–11. [In Russian]
Rozhkov Yu.F., Kondakova M.Yu. 2016a. Estimates of changes of structural parameters of forest ecosystems in decoding high resolution satellite images. Nature Conservation Research 1(1): 98–107. DOI: 10.24189/ncr.2016.008 [In Russian]
Rozhkov Yu.F., Kondakova M.Yu. 2016b. Monitoring of Forest Condition Using Cluster Analysis in Interpretation Process of Middleand High-Resolutions Satellite Images. Nauka i Obrazovanie 3: 95–101. [In Russian]
Rozhkov Yu.F., Kondakova M.Yu. 2017. Evaluation of Recovery after Forest Fire with Cluster Analysis in Interpretation of Sattelite Images. Vestnik of North-Eastern Federal University 2(58): 38–49. [In Russian]
Shikhov A.N., Perminov S.I., Kiseleva E.S. 2017. Assessment of boreal forests vulnerability to fire- and wind-induced disturbances from long-term series of satellite observations within the Urals region. Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa 14(4): 87–102. [In Russian]
Terekhin E.A. 2017. Estimation of forest ecosystems disturbance in the southwest of Central Russian Upland using remote sensing data. Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa 14(4): 112–124. [In Russian]
Tsvetkov P.A., Buryak L.V. 2014. Studies of Fire Nature in the Forests of Siberia. Siberian Forest Journal 3: 25–42. [In Russian]
Vorobev O.N., Kurbanov E.A. 2017. Remote monitoring of vegetation regeneration dynamics on burnt areas of Mari Zavolzhje forests. Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa 14(2): 84–97. [In Russian]
Vorobev O.N., Kurbanov E.A., Polevshikova Yu.A., Lezhnin S.A. 2016. Assessment of dynamics and disturbance of forest cover in the Middle Povolzhje by Landsat images. Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa 13(4): 124–134. [In Russian]
Zhirin V.M., Knyazeva S.V., Eidlina S.P. 2011. Remote Maintenance of Forest-Forming Process in Taiga Forests After Their Cutting in the Russian Plain. Russian Journal of Forest Science 6: 29–38. [In Russian]
Zhirin V.M., Knyazeva S.V., Eidlina S.P. 2013. The Eco-dynamical Study of Forest-forming Process with Space Imagery. Russian Journal of Forest Science 5: 76–85. [In Russian]
Zhirin V.M., Sukhikh V.I., Shatalov A.V., Butusov O.B., Eidlina S.P. 2004. The use of space images to study the dynamics of the overgrowing of the fires. Issledovanie Zemli iz Kosmosa 5: 69–76. [In Russian]