Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of the Invasive Plant Alternanthera philoxeroides in a Narrow River Using Sentinel-2 Time-Series Data

Abstract

Alternanthera philoxeroides, an invasive alien species, spreads rapidly in river systems via vegetative propagation from stem fragments, requiring river-system-scale monitoring to understand its expansion dynamics and habitat preferences. This study used multi-temporal Sentinel-2 data to analyze spatio-temporal variations in fractional vegetation cover (FVC) within a 3.5 km river reach. FVC estimates derived from vegetation indices were validated against high-resolution aerial images, with an EVI-based model achieving the highest accuracy (RMSE = 9.2%), enabling reliable monitoring even in narrow (~24 m) channels. Time-series analysis from 2019 to 2024 revealed downstream expansion beginning in 2022. Annual maximum FVC (Cmax) was used to assess relationships with removal records and bank structures, showing that removal effects were temporary and more pronounced in the first year, while steel sheet-pile banks limited vegetation growth compared to concrete revetments. These results demonstrate that Sentinel-2 data can provide an effective and accessible tool for evaluating invasive plant dynamics and management effectiveness in low-flow river systems where A. philoxeroides dominates the floating vegetation community.

Plant phenotyping relevance

Sentinel-2時系列から侵入植物の植生被覆率を推定し、航空画像で精度検証しており、植物状態の取得・評価手法が中心です。

Code and data availability

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