The utility of 250-meter modis metrics and AMSR-E observations for assessing climate induced variability within Southern African wetlands

The assessment of the status and trends of wetlands, and especially their evolution in regard to shifting rainfall and temperature patterns, is a major issue for long-term ecosystem conservation strategies. In this study we show the possibility of using 16-day 250-meter MODIS metrics for change vector analysis (CVA) and flooding magnitudes from (passive) radar remote sensing (AMSR-E) observations to map flooding dynamics in the Linyanti wetland (southern Africa). Inter-annual changes in the MODIS CVA intensities are compared to inter-annual changes in radar data derived flooding magnitudes from 2001 to 2010. Given that longterm flooding record, i.e. from hydrographic measures, and concurrent satellite observations are available, the approach could be used to detect and interpret climate induced inundation dynamics within wetlands in semi-arid Africa.

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