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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2021, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (8): 1-12.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20210801

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Selection of Color Pattern Indices of Scenic Forest Based on Sensitivity Ranks

Yujuan Cao,Chengyang Xu*,Yaxue Ren,Xiarong Li   

  1. Research Center for Urban Forestry of Beijing Forestry University Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Forest Ecosystem Research in Arid and Semi-Arid Region of National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education Beijing 100083
  • Received:2020-03-05 Online:2021-08-25 Published:2021-09-30
  • Contact: Chengyang Xu

Abstract:

Objective: The sensitivity of landscape pattern indices to color patterns of scenic forests was studied. And indices capable of characterizing landscape color patterns were selected, aiming to provide experimental supports and theoretical basis for studies of visual quality of colorful landscape forests. Method: Photos of scenic forest dominated by Cotinus coggygria var. cinerea taken in autumn were used in the research. An application for color quantification and classification was implemented using Python program, effective for data preparation in batch. Pre-selected indices were calculated in Fragstats software, and then hierarchical cluster analysis was performed in SPSS software. Sensitivity of indices to landscape color pattern changes related to color classification and viewing distance was calculated and used for indices ranking. Under the principles of covering most clusters and reducing information redundancy, indices were selected after performing independence tests and information overlaps check. Result: Seven indices, namely, number of patches, largest patch index, mean patch area, patch richness, mean nearest neighbor distance, mean perimeter/area ratio and modified Simpson's diversity index, which are sensitive to color classification and viewing distance, were selected from 24 pre-selected ones. They could be used to quantitatively characterize color patterns of scenic forests. Conclusion: The semi-automated procedures for color classification, which requires operator intervention during analytic process, simplify operations from color classification to index calculation, reduces time for data preprocessing and enhances the stability of the result. The proposed method for selecting color pattern indices based on sensitivity ranks, combined with independence test and information overlaps check, reduces errors caused by subjective selectior indices. And indices selected are effective to distinguish changes of color pattern caused by color classification and viewing distance, and possible to objectively and quantitatively analyze visual quality of scenic forest.

Key words: landscape color pattern, sensitivity, scenic forest, Cotinus coggygria var. cinerea, visual quality

CLC Number: