A UAV-Satellite Synergistic Framework for High-Accuracy Estimation of Sparse Desert Vegetation Cover

File name:Crown Projection Area.xlsx Description:This dataset contains quadrat-sampled measurements of Crown Projection Area (CPA) for Haloxylon ammodendron shrubs, collected through quadrat sampling and matched with UAV-acquired hyperspectral imagery. The data were used to evaluate and validate shrub canopy extraction and vegetation cover estimation in sparse desert environments. Field measurements were conducted in three representative plots, denoted as S, M, and L, which were established based on shrub growth status and size structure. Plot S represents small-sized shrubs, Plot M represents medium-sized shrubs, and Plot L represents large-sized shrubs. These plots collectively capture the typical variability in canopy structure of Haloxylon ammodendron across different growth stages. The UAV hyperspectral imagery corresponding to each plot was acquired using an unmanned aerial vehicle platform (DJI M300 RTK) equipped with a Nano-Hyperspec imager sensor. The raw hyperspectral data were processed and mosaicked using ENVI software to generate georeferenced hyperspectral images for subsequent canopy extraction and analysis. The quadrat-sampled CPA measurements serve as ground reference data for validating UAV-based canopy extraction results and satellite-scale vegetation cover estimation. Intended use:This dataset supports the analyses presented in the SCI article entitled “A UAV-Satellite Synergistic Framework for High-Accuracy Estimation of Sparse Desert Vegetation Cover”. It is intended for accuracy assessment of canopy extraction methods, calibration of remote sensing models, and evaluation of vegetation cover estimation in arid desert ecosystems. Data format:Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) Keywords:Crown Projection Area; Haloxylon ammodendron; quadrat sampling; UAV hyperspectral imagery; DJI M300 RTK; Nano-Hyperspec imager; ENVI; sparse desert vegetation