Development of interactive spruce stands map for monitoring ecosystem recovery

Abstract

The aim of the study is to develop interactive spruce stands map of two model landscapes of the Moscow region, Russia (Istrinsky and Luzgarinsky) considering the foci of insects’ mass reproduction. The studies were carried out in 2016, in the Moscow region (Russia). For comparative analysis of spruce forests and stands for the Istrinsky and Luzgarinsky landscape, an interactive map based on Landsat satellite images has been developed, and cartographic data from 1991 to 2016 has been analyzed. The survey was carried out on a model area of 190 hectares in Kurilovo (Moscow region) at an altitude of 300 m using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Ptero-E. The processing of satellite images showed an unequal decrease in forest cover for the spruce forests and stands during 1991-2016, namely from 53% to 44% and from 73% to 70% in the Istrinsky and Luzgarinsky landscape, respectively. The data obtained with the UAV helped to determine the area affected by the bark beetle (Ips typographus), one of the most destructive pests of spruce trees, especially those that are over 70 years old: 3.2 out of 93.6 hectares of the total area of spruce forests. The short-term productivity and conditional inference forests decreased in area by 67% during 1991-2016, while long-term productivity-only by 28%.