Hayfields Mapping in the Floodplain Landscapes of Southern Russia Based on Multi-Temporal Sentinel-2 Data

The paper proposes a new method for mapping hayfields in floodplain landscapes based on the use of multi-temporal spectral-zonal data of remote sensing of the Earth (ERS) of high spatial resolution (Sentinel-2) using an expert threshold of SBC (spectral brightness coefficient) in the red channel (the maximum composite of values for the vegetation period). period) for freshly cut vegetation adjusted for the values of the maximum composite for the growing season of the NDVI index (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). The regularities of changes in the values of SBC in the sloping and non-sloped territories in the RGB, NIR channels, as well as the values of the NDVI and NDWI indices were revealed. The mapping of annual sloping areas within the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain in the territory of the Volgograd region was carried out. Here, an average of 12 thousand hectares (8%) of the territory is mowed annually, while most of the area is mowed in August-September (more than 65% of the area). Most sloping areas have an area of 1 to 10 ha. At the same time, over the past 6 years, there has been a tendency to increase both the total annual mowed areas and the areas of hayfields. It was revealed that the main annually mowed areas are concentrated around infrastructure facilities: closer to consumers and transport routes.