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Assessing Amazon forest dynamics from multi-temporal airborne LiDAR
Douglas
Morton, NASA GSFC, douglas.morton@nasa.gov
(Presenter)
Bruce
Cook, NASA GSFC, bruce.cook@nasa.gov
Maria
Hunter, UNH, mhunter@kaos.sr.unh.edu
Daniel
Victoria, Embrapa, daniel.victoria@embrapa.br
Luciana
Spinelli, Embrapa, luciana.spinelli@embrapa.br
Hyeungu
Choi, Sigma Space Corp., hyeungu.choi-1@nasa.gov
Rates of forest disturbance and recovery determine the net impact of changes in Amazon forest carbon stocks from climate variability and human activity. To date, our knowledge of the effects of disturbance and recovery processes in tropical forests on forest structure and carbon content are derived almost exclusively from networks of forest inventory plots. These plots sample small areas (typically ≤1 ha), often with multi-year periods between remeasurements. Additionally, few plot-based studies provide a regional understanding of forest disturbance from human activity, such as logging or fire, which are needed for REDD+ and related activities. Here, we assessed forest canopy and gap dynamics using multi-temporal LiDAR data and coincident field measurements at six Amazon forest study sites over short (1 month) and long (4 year) time intervals. Repeated LiDAR coverage over short intervals illustrates the repeatability of forest height and structure measurements from small footprint airborne LiDAR systems. Longer intervals (1-4 years) between LiDAR measurements provided novel insights into the stability of forest gap fraction despite widespread lethal and sub-lethal changes in crown coverage at these sites. These findings suggest a need to include non-gap forming disturbances in ecosystem models to accurately capture carbon cycle dynamics in tropical forests.
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Poster Session 2-A
(Wed 11:00 AM)
Associated Project(s):
Poster Location ID: 69
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