Remote Sensing for Monitoring Biodiversity in Urban Environment

Monitoring the evolution of biodiversity in urban environment is a challenging topic that requires deep investigation with multidisciplinary approaches. Several factors, such as invasive plants, can dramatically reduce biodiversity in urban ecosystems. As a result, the composition of plant communities changes, and the habitat becomes less suitable for native species. Remote sensing technologies, including aerial and satellite imagery, can play a crucial role in mapping and analyzing urban green spaces. In this paper we present a multidisciplinary approach devoted to map the green spaces and monitor the expansion of invasive species in urban ecosystems. The case study is focused on Ailanthus altissima, a tree species that is considered invasive in Europe. The strategy is based on the joint use of very high resolution multispectral (MS) images acquired una tantum and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data acquired continuously. The information acquired on ground is used to add the semantic information to the images processed through spectral analysis and land cover classification. This approach enables to evaluate the connectivity of green patches, assess the impact of urban infrastructure on habitats, and propose strategies for habitat restoration or conservation.