Abstract
Application of LiDAR technology has greatly enhanced tree segmentation and phenotypic analysis. There are few studies in urban green spaces using tree segmentation methods. Our aim is to improve the single-plant segmentation accuracy in tree and shrub communities through segmenting algorithm optimisation based on TLS LiDAR data of the urban green space. We developed a multi-round comparative shortest-path algorithm (M-CSP) to achieve the objectives: a) tree and shrub plant layer pre-division (TSPD); b) shrub type classifications (STC) into spherical, cylindrical, and rectangular shapes. The overall detection kappa value using M-CSP is 0.933, which is 18% higher than the CSP value of 0.790. M-CSP-based overall segmentation accuracy value (F-score) is 0.886, which is 13% higher than the CSP value of 0.783. The shrub F-score using M-CSP is 0.817, which is 26% higher than the CSP (0.646). M-CSP should provide a more accurate, faster, and less costly tool to study plant communities in urban green spaces.
Acknowledgments
This work is supported by Henan Provincial Joint International Research Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Zhengzhou Green Expo Park Management Center.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Notes on contributors
Yang Liu
Yang Liu is Lecturer of Landscape Architecture at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. His research interests are digital landscape and plant modelling based on LiDAR data, landscape management and maintenance. His papers have appeared in Chinese Landscape Architecture, Forestry, Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management and IntechOpen.
Xuguang Zhang
Xuguang Zhang, Zitong Ma and Dongbo Xie are postgraduate students in Landscape Architecture at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. Their research interests are digital landscape and plant modelling based on LiDAR data, landscape ecology.
Zitong Ma
Xuguang Zhang, Zitong Ma and Dongbo Xie are postgraduate students in Landscape Architecture at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. Their research interests are digital landscape and plant modelling based on LiDAR data, landscape ecology.
Nalin Dong
Nalin Dong is Lecturer of Landscape Architecture at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. Her research interests are landscape planning and design, analysis of landscape spatial pattern based on GIS technology. She is the author of four scientific publications.
Dongbo Xie
Xuguang Zhang, Zitong Ma and Dongbo Xie are postgraduate students in Landscape Architecture at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. Their research interests are digital landscape and plant modelling based on LiDAR data, landscape ecology.
Rui Li
Rui Li is a PhD student in Landscape Architecture at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. Her research interests are landscape digitisation and visualisation, landscape ecological. She is the author of one scientific publication.
Douglas M. Johnston
Douglas M. Johnston is Professor and Chair in Civil and Environmental Engineering at College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York’s Department of Landscape Architecture in the USA. His research interests are landscape digitisation and visualisation, urban forestry ecosystem services. He is the author of more than 40 scientific publications.
Yu Gary Gao
Yu Gary Gao is Professor in Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University’s South Centres, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in the USA. His research interests are ecological research and environmental science, carbon peak and carbon neutral. He is the author of more than 15 scientific publications.
Yonghua Li
Yonghua Li is Professor and Associate Dean in Landscape Horticulture at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. His research interests are plant resource utilisation, landscape plant design. He is the author of 16 scientific publications.
Yakai Lei
Yakai Lei is Associate Professor in Urban and Rural Planning at Henan Agricultural University’s College of Landscape Architecture and Art in China. His research interests are landscape planning and ecological restoration, natural reserve planning and design. He is the author of 45 scientific publications.