Integrating pan-sharpening and classifier ensemble techniques to map an invasive plant (Spartina alterniflora) in an estuarine wetland using Landsat 8 imagery

Accurate mapping of invasive species in a cost-effective way is the first step toward understanding and predicting the impact of their invasions. However, it is challenging in coastal wetlands due to confounding effects of biodiversity and tidal effects on spectral reflectance. The aim of this work is to describe a method to improve the accuracy of mapping an invasive plant (Spartina alterniflora), which is based on integration of pan-sharpening and classifier ensemble techniques. A framework was designed to achieve this goal. Five candidate image fusion algorithms, including principal component analysis fusion algorithm, modified intensity-hue-saturation fusion algorithm, wavelet-transform fusion algorithm, Ehlers fusion algorithm, and Gram-Schmidt fusion algorithm, were applied to pan-sharpening Landsat 8 operational land imager (OLI) imagery. We assessed the five fusion algorithms with respect to spectral and spatial fidelity using visual inspection and quantitative quality indicators. The optimal fused image was selected for subsequent analysis. Then, three classifiers, namely, maximum likelihood, artificial neural network, and support vector machine, were employed to preclassify the fused and raw OLI 30-m band images. Final object-based S. alterniflora maps were generated through classifier ensemble analysis of outcomes from the three classifiers. The results showed that the introduced method obtained high classification accuracy, with an overall accuracy of 90.96% and balanced misclassification errors between S. alterniflora and its coexistent species. We recommend future research to adopt the proposed method for monitoring long-term or multiseasonal changes in land coverage of invasive wetland plants.