Vegetation mapping and stress detection in the Santa Monica Mountains, California

Thematic Mapper (TM) simulator data have been used to map coastal sage scrub in the mountains near Los Angeles by means of supervised classification. Changes in TM band radiances and band ratios are examined along an east-west gradient in ozone pollution loads. While the changes noted are interpretable in terms of ozone- and temperature-induced premature leaf drop, and consequent exposure of a dry, grassy understory, TM band and band ratio reflectances are influenced by a variety of independent factors which require that pollution stress interpretations be conducted in the context of the greatest possible ecological system comprehension.