Remote sensing toolkits for monitoring freshwater ecosystems under global change in South Africa

Abstract

Remote sensing is a valuable tool for monitoring wetland extent and other attributes at a regional scale. It provides a means of automating the mapping of the extent of inundated and palustrine wetlands, and the quantification of soil moisture, above ground biomass, nutrients, phenology and the hydrological regime. If measured at intervals using consistent methods, these values can show changes over time. The findings and data obtained during this project provide valuable information in support of the long-term inventorying of wetlands in the National Wetland Maps and the National Wetland Monitoring Programme of South Africa.

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