Object oriented classification of Australian pine ( Casuarina equisetifolia), an invasive exotic species in south Florida

Invasive exotic plant species cause a number of problems in native south Florida ecosystems, and a great deal of effort is being put into controlling the populations of these species. Control efforts require updated information on the locations of exotic species. This information can be obtained from high resolution remotely sensed data such as digital orthoimagery and LIDAR. Extraction of information from these data sources is often problematic using traditional pixel-based image processing techniques. An object oriented method of image analysis, however, has been shown to be better suited to this task.; One invasive exotic species that has become widespread in south Florida is Casuarina equisetifolia, also known as Australian pine. This study develops a semi-automated procedure for detecting Australian pine over a large, diverse area with high resolution remotely sensed data using the object oriented method of analysis.