Remote sensing: mapping natural and managed river corridors from the micro to the network scale

Abstract

The advent and development of remote sensing, with now near global coverage at medium scales of spatial resolution, has revolutionised the capacity to map and analyse spatial and temporal variability of the individual components of river ecosystems and aquatic processes in natural and managed systems. In this chapter, remote sensing is deemed to be earth observation from space borne, airborne and terrestrially based sensors that measure the electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected from land and water surfaces within the river corridor network namely in-channel, riparian and floodplain. The chapter examines remote sensing application to river science and management, in relation to hydro..