In the present study, seven EO-based indicators were selected based on their relevance for a study site in a continental riparian zone and aggregated into a composite indicator referred to as RFI_S (Riparian Forest composite Indicator: focus on Structure) to assess riparian forest habitat quality. Two different weighting schemes were applied and the robustness of the RFI_S in relation to the influence of single indicators was analysed. Results were compared to an expert-based conservation status map.
Materials and methods
Study site and EO data
The semi-natural Natura 2000 site Salzachauen (Austria, 9.12 km2) is located along the regulated river Salzach in the alpine foreland (Fig. 1). The vegetation is mainly composed of riparian and gallery woodland (EUNIS: G1.1) and mixed riparian floodplain and gallery woodland (EUNIS: G1.2; Davies et al., 2004). Main human-induced pressures are plantations of allochthonous tree species and river regulation.