Baccini, Alessandro (Ale): Boston University (Project Lead)
Treuhaft, Robert: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Caltech (Co-Investigator)
Walker, Wayne: Woodwell Climate Research Center (Co-Investigator)
Project Funding:
2016 - 2019
NRA: 2015 NASA: Carbon Monitoring System
Funded by NASA
Abstract:
Deforestation and forest degradation of tropical vegetation account for 6 -17% of global annual CO2 emissions to the atmosphere (Van der Werf et al. 2009). International policy mechanisms designed to address emissions from forest loss such as REDD+ require the ability to monitor not only emissions from deforestation but also from forest degradation as well as the uptake by vegetation. While much progress has been made in monitoring changes in forest area and carbon density, measurements of biomass loss due to deforestation and degradation, and increases due to uptake remain challenging. Here we propose to develop a novel methodology to monitor CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere from losses (due to deforestation and degradation) and gains (from vegetation uptake) for the Amazon Basin. The approach is based on a combination of the InSAR TanDEM-x Spaceborne Interferometer, MODIS, LiDAR and field measurements.
The overall objective of the proposed project is to address the research and development required for a multi-sensor, multi-spatial resolution monitoring system integrated with a carbon bookkeeping model to quantify CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere from land carbon dynamics. The specific objectives are to: 1) Quantify the correspondence between TanDEM-X phase height and biomass and derive biomass changes as a function of phase height variations. Using TanDEM-X data taken monthly and at 50-m resolution over Tapajos forest between 2011 and 2016, we will then determine the accuracy with which multi-temporal TanDEM-X observations can be used to measure biomass changes (losses and gains). To do this we will use existing field data and LiDAR measurements collected in the region; 2) assess the within-pixel sensitivity of MODIS derived biomass changes. We will build on Baccini et al. (2012; In Review) and derive annual biomass change estimates. We will then compare with high resolution change estimates from TanDEM-X and assess the sensitivity of MODIS to sub-pixel changes in biomass; 3) address the research and development required to combine InSAR spaceborne observations with MODIS reflectance. By combining time series of InSAR and MODIS observations we expect to increase the sensitivity in biomass change while expanding our monitoring capability over larger area; 4) assess the impact of differing resolutions and accuracies in biomass change estimates when products from objectives (1) and (3) are used in a bookkeeping model to derive CO2 fluxes.
Publications:
Baccini, A., Walker, W., Carvalho, L., Farina, M., Sulla-Menashe, D., Houghton, R. A. 2017. Tropical forests are a net carbon source based on aboveground measurements of gain and loss. Science. 358(6360), 230-234. DOI: 10.1126/science.aam5962
Treuhaft, R., Lei, Y., Goncalves, F., Keller, M., Santos, J., Neumann, M., Almeida, A. 2017. Tropical-Forest Structure and Biomass Dynamics from TanDEM-X Radar Interferometry. Forests. 8(8), 277. DOI: 10.3390/f8080277
Walker, W. S., Gorelik, S. R., Baccini, A., Aragon-Osejo, J. L., Josse, C., Meyer, C., Macedo, M. N., Augusto, C., Rios, S., Katan, T., de Souza, A. A., Cuellar, S., Llanos, A., Zager, I., Mirabal, G. D., Solvik, K. K., Farina, M. K., Moutinho, P., Schwartzman, S. 2020. The role of forest conversion, degradation, and disturbance in the carbon dynamics of Amazon indigenous territories and protected areas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117(6), 3015-3025. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1913321117
Wang, J. A., Baccini, A., Farina, M., Randerson, J. T., Friedl, M. A. 2021. Disturbance suppresses the aboveground carbon sink in North American boreal forests. Nature Climate Change. 11(5), 435-441. DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01027-4
Wigneron, J., Fan, L., Ciais, P., Bastos, A., Brandt, M., Chave, J., Saatchi, S., Baccini, A., Fensholt, R. 2020. Tropical forests did not recover from the strong 2015-2016 El Nino event. Science Advances. 6(6). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay4603
More details may be found in the following project profile(s):
