Mapping Terrestrial Vegetation Applying The Spot 5 Satellite Imagery: Application To Ouessant Island (France)

The aim of this study is to test the Spot 5 satellite imagery for the cartography of terrestrial vegetation in the prospect of a monitoring of coastal zones. Two methods are used. The first method is based on a photointerpretation of a 2.5 meters multipectral image with the european EUNIS habitat classification. A comparison with aerial orthoimages is realised. The results show that Spot 5 satellite imagery is quite suitable for the vegetation mapping at a local scale. The majority of the habitats are identified with very few exceptions (patchy habitat of particular texture and of small size). The second method is based on the updating of existing data by the classification of the 10 meters multispectral image into a GIS. This process implies the development of a vegetation dynamic model. A map is produced in a short delay. It may be useful for the large-scale monitoring of dynamic vegetation processes.