Title: Integrating in-situ, Landsat, and MODIS data for mapping in Southern African savannas: Experiences of LCCS-based land-cover mapping in the Kalahari in Namibia
Abstract: Integrated ecosystem assessment initiatives are important steps towards a global biodiversity observing system. Reliable earth observation data are key information for tracking biodiversity change on various scales. Regarding the establishment of standardized environmental observation systems, a key question is: What can be observed on each scale and how can land cover information be transferred? In this study, a land cover map from a dry semi-arid savanna ecosystem in Namibia was obtained based on the UN LCCS, in-situ data, and MODIS and Landsat satellite imagery. Keywords: harmonization, standardization, time series, random forest, remote sensing, phenology.