Estimating some stand parameters using sentinel-1 and sentinel-2 satellite images in pure crimean and scots pine stands (a case study of Karadere forest enterprise)

In this study, it was aimed to model some stand parameters (stand diameter, number of tree, basal area, stand volume and stand density) in pure Crimean and Scots pine stands distributed in Karadere Forest Enterprise with remote sensing data. In the study, 146 sample plots from Crimean pine stands and 96 sample plots from Scots pine stands were taken and stand parameters were calculated by field measurements in each sample plot. Within the scope of the study, remote sensing data were obtained in two different ways as the mean and the sum of the pixel values in the sample plot using Sentinel-1 (backscattering, polarization ratio and texture values) and Sentinel-2 (reflectance, vegetation index and texture values) satellite images. Relationships between stand parameters and remote sensing data were determined by Correlation Analysis and models for estimating stand parameters were developed with the help of Stepwise Regression Analysis. Adjusted Coefficient of Determination (R_d^2), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) were used to reveal the model performances. The most successful models in Crimean pine stands were obtained with the remote sensing data calculated as the sum of the pixel values of the Sentinel-2 satellite image for models of stand diameter (R_d^2=0,170) and stand density (R_d^2=0,397), the sum of the pixel values of the Sentinel-1 satellite image for model of number of tree (R_d^2=0,396), and the mean of the pixel values of the Sentinel-2 satellite image for model of the stand volume (R_d^2=0,095). The most successful results in Scots pine stands were obtained with the remote sensing data obtained as the mean of the pixel values of the Sentinel-2 satellite image for models of stand diameter (R_d^2=0,314, and the sum of the pixel values of the Sentinel-2 satellite image for models of number of tree (R_d^2=0,277), basal area (R_d^2=0,344), stand volume (R_d^2=0,123) and stand density (R_d^2=0,432).