Planetscope imageries and LiDAR point clouds processing for automation land cover mapping and vegetation assessment of a reclaimed sulfur mine

Abstract

The present research investigated the possibility of using PlanetScope imageries and LiDAR point clouds for land cover assessment, especially vegetation mapping, in degraded and reclaimed areas. Studies were carried out on the former sulfur mine of Jeziórko located in Southeast Poland. In total, more than ca. 2000 ha of this mine area were reclaimed after borehole exploitation and afforestation. We investigated a total area of 216.72 ha. Integration of PlanetScope imageries and LiDAR point clouds processing offers the ability to derive information about the LULC classes and vegetation growth in the analyzed area and indicate the forest succession progress as an effect of the reclamation treatments. In the Jeziórko area, we identified coniferous forest (90.84 ha, 41.91% of the research area), broad-leaved forest (44.02 ha, 20.31%), and transitional woodland shrub areas with herbaceous communities (77.96 ha, 35.97%). The analyses focused on the detection and monitoring of the forest succession processes and obtaining the tree canopy profiles and characteristics of vegetation, i.e., the height and cover density.