The natural environment and birth outcomes: Comparting 3D exposure metrics derived from LiDAR to 2D metrics based on the normalized difference vegetation index

Geoffrey Donovan; Demetrios Gatziolis; Kristen Jakstis; Saskia Comess

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.05.011

Treesearch

The natural environment and birth outcomes: Comparting 3D exposure metrics derived from LiDAR to 2D metrics based on the normalized difference vegetation index

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Geoffrey Donovan, Demetrios Gatziolis, Kristen Jakstis, Saskia Comess

Year:

2019

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.05.011

Source:

Health & Place. 57: 305-312.

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Abstract

Most studies of the health benefits of the natural environment use coarse 2D exposure metrics based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). We compare the performance of these 2D NDVI metrics to finer-resolution 3D metrics derived from Light Detection and Ranging imagery (LiDAR). In logit models of small-for-gestational-age births, both NDVI and LiDAR metrics were associated with a reduced probability of an adverse birth outcome. However, models using LiDAR metrics had higher explanatory power than equivalent NDVI models, and LiDAR models also revealed that vegetation height (as well as variation in vegetation height) were protective of small-for-gestational age births.

Keywords

NDVI, natural environment, remote sensing, birth outcomes

Citation

Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Jakstis, Kristen; Comess, Saskia. 2019. The natural environment and birth outcomes: Comparting 3D exposure metrics derived from LiDAR to 2D metrics based on the normalized difference vegetation index. Health & Place. 57: 305-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.05.011.