Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2025
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster E100
Höfundar / Authors: Louise Elizabeth Alma Martin (1), Mariana Lucia Tamayo (2), Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir (3)
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: University of Iceland
Kynnir / Presenter: Louise Elizabeth Alma Martin
Invasive species pose a threat to biodiversity, with their proliferation risking the homogenisation of the world’s flora and fauna and increasing pressure on native ecosystems. Cow parsley ( Skógarkerfill, Anthriscus sylvestris), a plant native to mainland Europe, the British Isles and Asia, is an invasive species in Iceland, proliferating in a variety of habitats. Remote sensing (RS) offers the potential to enact fast, efficient monitoring and mapping. This study tested a variety of remote sensing techniques with the aim of detecting and mapping cow parsley. Specifically, the phenology of cow parsley was assessed using Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series data derived from Sentinel-2 imagery (moderate resolution), alongside high-resolution UAV drone data, to identify periods when the species is most spectrally distinct. Four study sites, one on Mount Esja, two in Elliðaárdalur and one in Grafarvogur, were surveyed from 2023-2025. Results suggest that cow parsley is most distinct in both the early growing season (~April-May), as NDVI peaks earlier and higher than other co-occurring vegetation, and during its flowering period (~June-July), when it forms distinct, white inflorescences. Sentinel-2 imagery and UAV drone data show promise in mapping cow parsley and complimenting traditional plant surveys. These RS techniques can help establish a low cost and easily replicable method of detecting cow parsley to manage its spread in Iceland.