The incorporation of a red edge channel in multi-spectral satellite sensors has potential for improving land-use classification, as the related electromagnetic spectrum is specifically sensitive to vegetation chlorophyll content. RapidEye is the first high-resolution multi-spectral satellite system that operationally provides a red edge channel. The objective of this study is to test the potential of the RapidEye red edge channel for improving the classification of land use, investigated at a study site west of Berlin. Based on a scene from July 2009, supervised land-use classifications were performed using different sets of spectral feature input, including and excluding red edge information. The algorithms used are support vector machine and maximum likelihood. The results indicate that the incorporation of red edge information can increase classification accuracy. The highest positive effects are observed for vegetation classes in open landscapes, e.g. for bush vegetation.

Spatial monitoring tools are necessary to respond to the threat of global biodiversity loss. At the European scale, remote sensing tools for NATURA 2000 habitat monitoring have been requested by the European Commission to fulfill the obligations of the EU Habitats Directive. This paper introduces a method by which swath events in semi-natural grasslands can be detected from multi-temporal TerraSAR-X data. The investigated study sites represent rare and endangered habitats (NATURA 2000 codes 6410, 6510), located in the Döberitzer Heide nature conservation area west of Berlin. We analyzed a time series of 11 stripmap images (HH-polarization) covering the vegetation period affected by swath (June to September 2010) at a constant 11-day acquisition rate. A swath detection rule was established to extract the swath events for the NATURA 2000 habitats as well as for six contrasting pasture sites not affected by swath. All swath events observed in the field were correctly allocated. The results indicate the potential to allocate semi-natural grassland swath events to 11-day-periods using TerraSAR-X time series. Since the conservation of semi-natural grassland habitats requires compliance with specific swath management rules, the detection of swath events may thus provide new parameters for the monitoring of NATURA 2000 grassland habitats.

We found a mistake in the swath detection rule in Section 2.4 [1]. Specifically, the percent deviation calculation in the definition of the signal changes D₁ and D₂ and axiom A₂ are altered. The correct version shall be: Consequently, the proposed rule for the detection of swath events consists of two axioms (A₁ and A₂) that need to be satisfied. For the signal backscatter (σ°) at a specific acquisition order number (k) of the acquired scene in the time series (N), the positive or negative signal changes in percent deviation for the first (D₁) and second (D₂) acquisition after a potential swath event are considered as: