Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1974

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Forestry

Major Professor

John C. Rennie

Committee Members

Edward R. Buckner, James W. Hilty

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if nitrogen deficiencies in loblolly pine could be detected by remote sensing. A loblolly pine plantation, located on the Cumberland Plateau, with fertilizer treatment plots pre-viously established served as a test site. Imagery obtained in April, 1971, consisted of three film-camera filter combi-nations while imagery obtained in October, 1971, consisted of four film-camera filter combinations. Mean optical densities for each fertilizer treatment plot were determined by microdensitometer scans and a special computer software package. Color films were scanned with red, blue, green, and gray filters while black—and—white film was scanned with only the gray filter. Ground truth was foliar nitrogen con-tent and cubic volume growth. There were no differences among the mean optical densities for the fertilizer treatments or foliar nitrogen levels for any of the film-camera filter-microdensitometer filter combinations. Multiple regression equations were developed to predict foliar nitrogen and growth. The April equation for foliar nitrogen level accounted for 43 percent of the variability while the April equation for growth accounted for the 54 percent of the variability. The equa-tions for October nitrogen level and growth accounted for 45 and 68 percent of the variability/ respectively. Discriminate analyses were used to predict nitrogen fertili-zer levels. For the April imagery 37 out of 55 plots were correctly classified, while 25 out of 31 plots were correctly classified for the October imagery. Recommendations for further study included: (1) determination of spectral characteristics of healthy and nutrient deficient pines, (2) clearer definitions of nutrient levels, and (3) collection of imagery in different seasons.

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