Reed is an important wetland species. In some places it provides valuable ecosystem services, while in other places it poses a threat as an invasive species. Thus, monitoring and predicting reed dynamics is crucial. We not only detected changes in reed area using remote sensing, but also developed indicators for the stability of reed wetlands based on remote sensing that would allow to predict its future development. We used satellite imagery to study reed development in the Danube Delta in Romania over a period of 22-years and identified expanding, stable and retreating reedlands. We then compared optical vegetation indices and radar backscatter among those three different reed development categories. We found clear spatial differences in long-term reed dynamics. We also revealed a clear difference in radar backscatter, but no difference in the optical signal of expanding, stable and decreasing reed areas. The radar data showed the largest seasonal variation in locations where reed was expanding and smallest seasonal variation where reed was decreasing. Overall, our study shows that the stability of reed ecosystems, and their services, can be monitored by quantifying seasonal changes in backscatter of reed-lands using radar satellites. This principle looks promising for monitoring other ecosystems as well.

芦苇是重要的湿地物种。在某些地方，它提供宝贵的生态系统服务，而在其他地方，它作为入侵物种构成威胁。因此，监测和预测芦苇动态至关重要。我们不仅使用遥感检测芦苇面积的变化，还开发了基于遥感的芦苇湿地稳定性指标，可以预测其未来的发展。我们使用卫星图像研究了罗马尼亚多瑙河三角洲 22 年来的芦苇发育情况，并确定了扩张、稳定和后退的芦苇地。然后，我们比较了这三种不同芦苇开发类别的光学植被指数和雷达后向散射。我们发现长期芦苇动态存在明显的空间差异。我们还揭示了雷达反向散射的明显差异，但在扩大，稳定和减少簧片区域的光信号上没有差异。雷达数据显示，芦苇扩张的地方季节性变化最大，芦苇减少的地方季节性变化最小。总的来说，我们的研究表明，芦苇生态系统的稳定性及其服务可以通过使用雷达卫星量化芦苇地反向散射的季节性变化来监测。这一原则对于监测其他生态系统也很有希望。可以通过使用雷达卫星量化芦苇地反向散射的季节性变化来监测。这一原则对于监测其他生态系统也很有希望。可以通过使用雷达卫星量化芦苇地反向散射的季节性变化来监测。这一原则对于监测其他生态系统也很有希望。