Ground peak identification in dense shrub areas using large footprint waveform LiDAR and Landsat images

Large footprint waveform LiDAR data have been widely used to extract tree heights. These heights are typically estimated by subtracting the top height from the ground. Compared to the top height detection, the identification of the ground peak in a waveform is more challenging. This is particularly evident in ground detection in shrub areas, where the reflection of the shrub canopy may significantly overlap with the ground reflection. To tackle this problem, a novel method based on Partial Curve-Fitting (PCF) of the shrub peak was developed to detect the ground peak. Results indicated that the PCF method improves ground identification by 32–42%, compared to existing methods. To offer further improvement, a Multi-Algorithm Integration Classifier (MAIC) was built to fuse multiple ground peak algorithms and selectively apply the best method for each waveform plot. The PCF ground peak identification method along with the MAIC-based fusion is expected to significantly improve ground detection and shrub height estimation, thus assisting biodiversity, forest succession, and carbon sequestration studies, while offering an early example of future multiple algorithm integration.

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