Saatchi, Sassan: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Caltech (Project Lead)
Project Funding:
2012 - 2015
NRA: 2011 NASA: Terrestrial Ecology
Funded by NASA
Abstract:
Tropical montane forests on altitudinal gradients have complex structure and biogeographic histories, are responding rapidly to climate change, and are vulnerable to severe natural and anthropogenic disturbance. According to recent estimates from ground and remote sensing observations, Neotropical montane forests cover an area of more than 1.5 million km2 and potentially contain ~ 20% as much carbon as the total amount stored in the Amazon basin (Saatchi et al., 2011).
However, due to the complexity of the terrain and the relatively continuous cloud cover, extensive field surveys or analysis of satellite observations of these ecosystems have been near to impossible. Active remote sensing techniques from Radar (InSAR) and Lidar sensors provide a unique opportunity to measure forest structure along altitudinal gradients over complex terrains. In this study, we propose to advance the development and utilization of active remote sensing approaches from Lidar altimetry and Radar Interferometry to estimate important terrestrial ecosystem and carbon dynamic properties of tropical montane forests such as the variation of three-dimensional structure, biomass, its dynamics, and tree composition along altitudinal gradients.
In this study, we propose to advance the development and utilization of active remote sensing approaches over complex terrains by focusing on estimation of forest structure of tropical montane forests. We will focus on two study areas with extensive field data and remote sensing measurements from airborne sensors in Volcan Barva region of Costa Rica and the elevational transect along Kosnipata Valley and Manu National Park in Southern Peru. The two study areas cover similar gradients in elevation (300-3000 m) but have different geomorphology, climate, and species composition, providing opportunities for cross-validation of methodologies and comparative study of ecosystem and carbon cycle properties. The objectives of this proposal are centered on three questions: 1. What are the main determinants of variations of forest structure, biomass, and composition along the altitudinal gradient in netropical montane forests (variations in elevation, slope, aspect, soil, nutrient, climate) ? 2.To what extent can the dynamics of forest structure and carbon (growth, mortality, recruitments) of the tropical montane forests be explained by variations in biotic (composition) and abiotic factors (landscape, soil, climate)? 3. To want extent (spatial and temporal scales) can remote sensing measurements from Lidar, Radar (polarimetry and interferometry), and multispectral sensors individually or in fusion be used to estimate the variations in structure and carbon and their dynamics over tropical montane forests?
The proposed research will focus on the physically based models and/or multisensor approaches by developing fusion of Lidar and Radar interferomerty (InSAR and PolInSAR) techniques for estimating forest three-dimensional structure in complex terrains. We believe the choice of the two study areas in Costa Rica and Andeas in southern Peru with available and extensive ground and airborne data will allow us to address some of the most challenging problems in remote sensing studies. The results of the study will enable us to provide detailed information on the capability of the new and future NASA sensors to accurately address the carbon stock and dynamics of the vast area of tropical montane forests globally.
2013 NASA Terrestrial Ecology Science Team Meeting Poster(s)
- Forest Disturbance Spectrum of the Amazon Forest
-- (Fernando Espírito-Santo, Michael Keller, Manuel Gloor, Yadvinder Malhi, Sassan Saatchi, Michael Palace, Steve Frolking, Oliver Phillips)
[abstract]
More details may be found in the following project profile(s):
