Abstract
The Mediterranean basin is a strong candidate for monitoring climate change successfully, a priority of UN SDG 13, because of its long settlement history. Human-environmental contact has typically hindered monitoring efforts because the natural indicators that enable dependable monitoring have been altered anthropogenically. This research describes a two-step process which turns that synanthropism into an advantage through geoarchaeology, remote sensing, GIS, meteorology, and floristic classification. First, archaeological survey data were employed in a semi-arid region of Israel to identify areas of more and less intensive land-use over 2300 years. Trend surfaces were derived in GIS from ancient periods of most intense monoculture agriculture (Hellenistic, Byzantine, and Ottoman). 2020 land-cover was classified using VENμS satellite wet / dry season NDVI imagery and an airborne LiDAR canopy height model. This was reclassed after fieldwork to three broad land-cover classes and cross-tabulated with the 2300-year land-use intensity model in GIS. The results indicate a land-use legacy whereby woody perennial species are more abundant where land-use was cumulatively less intense. Second, unmanned aerial vehicle surveys were conducted in these areas of less-intense land-use. There, on lightly grazed lands where woody encroachment occurs but chamaephytes regenerate due to the grazing, microplots were established. Phanerophyte and chamaephyte shrubs were identified based on Raunkiaer type and the species associated with chorotype (geographic origin). This was compared with aridity index values derived for the study area between 2010-2022. The study provides a prototype, using dependable phytogeographic indicators, that may be developed into a long-term climate monitoring station (LTCMS).
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 189-196 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences - ISPRS Archives |
Volume | 48 |
Issue number | M-1-2023 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 21 Apr 2023 |
Event | 39th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, ISRSE 2023 - Antalya, Turkey Duration: 24 Apr 2023 → 28 Apr 2023 |
Keywords
- Mediterranean
- UN SDG 13
- climate monitoring
- geoarchaeology
- remote sensing
- vegetation dynamics
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Information Systems
- Geography, Planning and Development