Aerial photography for biomass assessment in the intertidal zone

A method for quantitative biomass assessment of macrophytes growing at intertidal mudflats was recently developed using aerial false-colour photography. A verification of the method has been carried out and subsequently the method has been applied over a vast area (400 km 2 ). The method developed is based on a direct relationship between colour densities and field biomass at a number of sample plots. This relationship includes the necessary radiometric corrections. It appeared that the bidirectional reflectance properties of the macrophytes play a minor role, probably because of the flat character of theintertidal area and the small thicknessof the macrophyte layer. It is concluded that the method is highly reliableand very well applicable over extended areas.