Monitoring phenological traits of a coastal mediterranean maquis area through automated systems

Understanding ecosystem dynamics in an era of global change and declining biodiversity requires monitoring biotic components such as plant behaviors and traits. Innovative integrated systems using high-frequency digital images automate vegetation tracking and record of detailed morphological and phenological data. In this study, a description of prototypal monitoring systems based on repeated digital images for detecting changes in phenological traits of Mediterranean coastal maquis in North-West Sardinia is reported. Developed at CNR Laboratories, the systems use high-resolution cameras on automated robots to perform (1) image acquisition, (2) transmission, and (3) post-processing phase. High-resolution images were analyzed to extract Vegetation indices (ExG, REI) from RGB chromatic coordinates. Vegetation Indices patterns were related with phenological traits. Main results highlighted how these systems can be a valid support for monitoring phenological behaviors of vegetation, even in a rugged environment such as Mediterranean coastal ecosystems. This study advances knowledge of plant responses to environmental changes supporting ecological and environmental studies.