Models of Tropical Forest Composition, Structure and Biomass in Support of Lidar-Radar Retrievals

Leland Pierce, University of Michigan, lep@umich.edu (Presenter)
Amanda Grimm, University of Michigan, aggrimm@umich.edu
Kathleen Bergen, University of Michigan, kbergen@umich.edu
Kamal Sarabandi, University of Michigan, saraband@umich.edu

Physical models of lidar and radar backscatter are needed in order to understand and validate lidar-radar retrievals of forest composition, structure and biomass. One goal of our NASA project VEGEX3D: LIDAR-SAR/INSAR Fusion-Extrapolation and Simulation Models for

Retrieving Vegetation 3D Structure and Biomass has been to develop and validate LIDAR physical-based simulation models for retrieving vegetation 3D structure and biomass, and to test sensitivity using test site field datasets. This capacity was developed using the BOREAS (northern Canada) boreal forest site, and this poster reports on extending and testing the lidar model capability in tropical forests at the La Selva, Costa Rica site. Our objectives were to 1) complete and validate physical-based vegetation 3D simulation (inversion) models for lidar, 2) to incorporate visualization (fractal tree-based) software that we have prototyped, and 3) test the sensitivity of the model to different forest structure and biomass configurations. Field data were primarily acquired from the TEAM (Tropical Ecosystems and Monitoring) and Bosques public datasets. Additional parameterization was adopted from the literature. Fractal tree models were completed for tropical hardwoods and palms are in process. Using simulated forests derived from the fractal tree models as input, the physical-based lidar simulation model was then tested for sensitivity to different forest structures and biomass values.

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Coupled Processes at Land-Atmosphere-Ocean Interfaces   (Mon 4:00 PM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Sarabandi, Kamal: VEGEX3D: LiDAR-SAR/InSAR Extrapolation and Simulation Models for Retrieving Vegetation 3D Structure and Biomass ...details

Poster Location ID: 64