TY - JOUR
T1 - Meta-discoveries from a synthesis of satellite-based land-cover mapping research
AU - Yu, Le
AU - Liang, Lu
AU - Wang, Jie
AU - Zhao, Yuanyuan
AU - Cheng, Qu
AU - Hu, Luanyun
AU - Liu, Shuang
AU - Yu, Liang
AU - Wang, Xiaoyi
AU - Zhu, Peng
AU - Li, Xueyan
AU - Xu, Yue
AU - Li, Congcong
AU - Fu, Wei
AU - Li, Xuecao
AU - Li, Wenyu
AU - Liu, Caixia
AU - Cong, Na
AU - Zhang, Han
AU - Sun, Fangdi
AU - Bi, Xinfang
AU - Xin, Qinchuan
AU - Li, Dandan
AU - Yan, Donghui
AU - Zhu, Zhiliang
AU - Goodchild, Michael F.
AU - Gong, Peng
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was partially supported by the National High Technology Programme of China [grant number 2009AA12200101]; the National Natural Science Funds of China [grant number 41301445]; the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science [grant number OFSLRSS201202]; and a research grant from Tsinghua University [grant number 2012Z02287].
PY - 2014/7
Y1 - 2014/7
N2 - Since the launch of the first land-observation satellite (Landsat-1) in 1972, land-cover mapping has accumulated a wide range of knowledge in the peer-reviewed literature. However, this knowledge has never been comprehensively analysed for new discoveries. Here, we developed the first spatialized database of scientific literature in English about land-cover mapping. Using this database, we tried to identify the spatial temporal patterns and spatial hotspots of land-cover mapping research around the world. Among other findings, we observed (1) a significant mismatch between hotspot areas of land-cover mapping and areas that are either hard to map or rich in biodiversity; (2) mapping frequency is positively related to economic conditions; (3) there is no obvious temporal trend showing improvement in mapping accuracy; (4) images with more spectral bands or a combination of data types resulted in increased mapping accuracies; (5) accuracy differences due to algorithm differences are not as large as those due to various types of data used; and (6) the complexity of a classification system decreases its mapping accuracy. We recommend that one way to improve our understanding of the challenges, advances, and applications of previous land-cover mapping is for journals to require area-based information at the time of manuscript submission. In addition, building a standard protocol for systematic assessment of land-cover mapping efforts at the global scale through international collaboration is badly needed.
AB - Since the launch of the first land-observation satellite (Landsat-1) in 1972, land-cover mapping has accumulated a wide range of knowledge in the peer-reviewed literature. However, this knowledge has never been comprehensively analysed for new discoveries. Here, we developed the first spatialized database of scientific literature in English about land-cover mapping. Using this database, we tried to identify the spatial temporal patterns and spatial hotspots of land-cover mapping research around the world. Among other findings, we observed (1) a significant mismatch between hotspot areas of land-cover mapping and areas that are either hard to map or rich in biodiversity; (2) mapping frequency is positively related to economic conditions; (3) there is no obvious temporal trend showing improvement in mapping accuracy; (4) images with more spectral bands or a combination of data types resulted in increased mapping accuracies; (5) accuracy differences due to algorithm differences are not as large as those due to various types of data used; and (6) the complexity of a classification system decreases its mapping accuracy. We recommend that one way to improve our understanding of the challenges, advances, and applications of previous land-cover mapping is for journals to require area-based information at the time of manuscript submission. In addition, building a standard protocol for systematic assessment of land-cover mapping efforts at the global scale through international collaboration is badly needed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84904971625&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84904971625&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01431161.2014.930206
DO - 10.1080/01431161.2014.930206
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84904971625
SN - 0143-1161
VL - 35
SP - 4573
EP - 4588
JO - International Journal of Remote Sensing
JF - International Journal of Remote Sensing
IS - 13
ER -