Object-based classification using a synergy of high spatial (IKONOS) and high spectral (ASTER) satellite data in a rural NATURA 2000 deltaic area

Deltaic ecosystems are natural ecosystems of particular ecological and economical value. Satellite imagery can provide an excellent framework for fast and reliable capture of data, which is essential for thorough eco-environmental analysis in valuable ecosystems. The recent availability of very high spatial resolution satellite data reconsiders the digital methods used for information extraction and thematic mapping. The strength of object-based analysis lies on the fact that individual pixels, composing real world objects, can be identified in the satellite imagery and classified using semantic and heuristic knowledge. Multi-sensor satellite data of multiple spectral and spatial resolutions from IKONOS and ASTER sensors, coupled with object-based analysis, were used for mapping a rural NATURA 2000 deltaic area in Western Greece.