PATAGONIAN SALT MARSHES: THE SOIL EFFECTS ON THE NDVI RESPONSE

ISLA F.I.; ESPINOSA M; GERPE M.S.,; IANTANOS N; MENONE M.L.,; MIGLIORANZA K.S.B.; ONDARZA P.M.; GONZALEZ M.; BERTOLA G; AIZPÚN DE MORENO J.E.,; MORENO V.J

THALASSAS (SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA)

UNIV VIGO

Año: 2010 vol. 26 p. 23 - 31

0212-5919

Patagonian and Fueguian salt marshes extend from 39 to 55ºS with different tidal and climatic effects. These effects conditioned their behaviour, and remote sensing is a useful tool to analyse these latitudinal trends, being the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) the most common parameter recommended. One of the most difficult issue is to recognize the cord grass (Spartina) from the Sarcocornia plains. Both plants have similar response to the near infrared (NIR) and red bands although Spartina can cover entirely the tidal flat only when it is tall enough. In the semiarid Patagonia, NDVI should be adjusted to soil effects in order to evaluate marsh distribution. However, marshes do not cover entirely the tidal flats and there are differences that could be envisaged to the sediment composition of these flats but also to the silting capacity of these plants.