Graph-Based Approach to Improve Individual Tree Crown Delineation in Temperate Forest using Structural And Spectral Information

Forest characterization at tree scale is possible with remotely sensed images of high spatial resolution. A first step is the Individual Tree Crown (ITC) delineation which corresponds to the segmentation of canopy cover into different tree crowns. In this study, a new method based on an initial watershed segmentation of Canopy Height Model (CHM) is proposed. This method is based on a graph transformation of the initial segmentation map in order to apply structural criteria (calculated owning to CHM) and spectral criterion (computed on red, green and blue bands). Adaptive thresholds are defined according to the studied forest characteristics in order to improve low quality segmentation cases. This method has been applied on a complex forest site (Broadleaf dominant, steep relief…). The results show a 17% increase of global performance in comparison to the reference watershed segmentation.