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M. Hollaus, W. Mücke, B. Höfle, W. Dorigo, N. Pfeifer, W. Wagner, C. Bauerhansl, B. Regner:
"Tree species classification based on full-waveform airborne laser scanning data";
Talk: Silvilaser 2009, College Station, Texas, USA; 2009-10-14 - 2009-10-16; in: "Proceedings of SILVILASER 2009", (2009), ISBN: 978-1-61623-997-8; 9 pages.

Airborne laser scanning is an evolving operational measurement technique for deriving forest
parameters. The objective of the current study was to analyze the potential of full-waveform
airborne laser scanning for tree species classification of a mixed woodland. The quantities used
were the echo width, backscatter cross section, as well as the distribution of the echoes in
vertical direction. Based on segmented tree crowns the mean backscatter cross section of all
echoes above the 50th height percentile was computed. Additionally, the canopy density,
describing the ratio of the number of all echoes above the 50th height percentile and the total
number of echoes, was used for a knowledge-based classification of coniferous and deciduous
trees. The achieved overall accuracy was 83%. Furthermore, the standard deviation of the echo
widths per crown segment was applied for a separation of spruce and larch. An overall accuracy
of the classified tree species red beech, larch and spruce of 75% was obtained. The presented
results show that combining geometric information and backscattering properties of
full-waveform airborne laser scanning data has a high potential for tree species classification.

http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/PubDat_178065.pdf