Mapping Aboveground Biomass in the Western US with the Multiangle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer

Mark James Chopping, Montclair State University, chopping@pegasus.montclair.edu (Presenter)
Zhuosen Wang, NASA GSFC, zhuosen.wang@nasa.gov
Michael Bull, NASA JPL, michael.a.bull@jpl.nasa.gov
Rocio Duchesne, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, duchesneonr1@mail.montclair.edu

Bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) data from the NASA Multiangle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR) were used to drive a boosted regression tree (BRT) model to estimate aboveground biomass (AGB) in the southwestern US for 2000 and 2009 and most of Oregon for 2011. For the southwestern US the predictors included May 15 June - 15 MISR nadir camera BRFs, MISR LiSparseRossThin (non-reciprocal) bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) isotropic, volume scattering, and geometric scattering model kernel weights, and RMSE and X and Y map coordinates). For Oregon forest topographic roughness derived from the 1-arcsecond (30 m) digital elevation model from the National Elevation Dataset was used in addition to these predictors and the LiSparseRossThick (non-reciprocal) BRDF model was used. Both BRT models were calibrated using NACP/National Biomass and Carbon Dataset (NBCD) 2000 estimates. Results were assessed against the NBCD 2000 estimates - since no appropriate independent validation data are available – showing very good agreement, with R^2 of 0.80 and RMSE of 31 Mg ha^-1 for the validation data set; and 0.76 and 18 Mg ha^-1, respectively, for 1013 random points. For Oregon forests the best and worst cases were R^2=0.90 and RMSE = 42 Mg ha^-1 and R^2 = 0.78 and RMSE = 62 Mg ha^-1, respectively. The BRT approach provides a means of mapping AGB using MISR BRFs, derived BRDF model kernel weights and limited ancillary data with good accuracy for the southwestern US; and in dense western forests better than that obtainable with predictions based on geometric-optical model forest cover and height retrievals.

Presentation: 2015_Poster_Chopping_122_242.pdf (15146k)

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  General Contributions   (Tue 4:35 PM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Chopping, Mark: A Decade of Changes in Aboveground Live Standing Dry Biomass, Canopy Cover, Height, and Understory Density in the Southwestern United States from EOS MISR and MODIS (2008-2014) ...details

Poster Location ID: 122