Soil moisture and evapotranspiration of wetlands vegetation habitats retrieved from satellite images

Abstract. The research has been carried out in Biebrza Ramsar Convention test site situated in the N-E part of Poland. Data from optical and microwave satellite images have been analysed and compared to the detailed soil-vegetation ground truth measurements conducted during the satellite overpasses. Satellite data applied for the study include: ENVISAT.ASAR, ENVISAT.MERIS, ALOS.PALSAR, ALOS.AVNIR-2, ALOS.PRISM, TERRA.ASTER, and NOAA.AVHRR. Optical images have been used for classification of wetlands vegetation habitats and vegetation surface roughness expressed by LAI. Also, heat fluxes have been calculated using NOAA.AVHRR data and meteorological data. Microwave images have been used for the assessment of soil moisture. For each of the classified wetlands vegetation habitats the relationship between soil moisture and backscattering coefficient has been examined, and the best combination of microwave variables (wave length, incidence angle, polarization) has been used for mapping and monitoring of soil moisture. The results of this study give possibility to improve models of water cycle over wetlands ecosystems by adding information about soil moisture and surface heat fluxes derived from satellite images. Such information is very essential for better protection of the European sensitive wetland ecosystems. ENVISAT and ALOS images have been obtained from ESA for AO ID 122 and AOALO.3742 projects.