Identification and analysis of turf coverage with WinCAM software

The color analysis software WinCAM was used to measure the turf coverage by analyzing the digital image with quadrate method and the measured coverage data were compared to those by needling method on campus of Lanzhou University from April 20 to May 15, 2009. The result indicated that 1) the estimated coverage data by WinCAM could well fitted to the actual data while the turf coverage ranged less than 10% and more than 90%. However, the estimated data were poor while the turf coverage ranged from 10% to 90%. 2) The estimated coverage varied depending on the turf types and environmental background while the measurement was conducted at same site. 3) The functional relationship between actual and estimated coverage data could be described with y=0.0135 8x+0.733 9 (while the coverage was below 20%) or Taylor series y=0.052 68+0.673 8x+0.845 19x2-32.166x3+234.270x4-786.769 7x5+1 437.828x6-1 464.822x7+775.926 7x8 -164.943x9 (while the coverage was over 20%).