Identification and mapping of the Amazon habitats using a mixing model

A methodology is described for identifying and mapping floodplain habitats in a reach of the Amazon mainstream. A linear mixing approach was used to determine the fraction of three pure endmembers. This method was tested for two radiometrically rectified Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes and the proportions of endmembers were used to identify the following classes. (1) clear/mixed water; (2) turbid water; (3) flooded non-forest; (4) flooded forest; (5) human settlements and (6) aquatic vegetation. The results were compared to visually interpreted Landsat TM images.