1. Detecting successional changes in tropical forest structure using GatorEye drone‐borne lidar
- Author
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Paula Meli, Carlos A. Silva, Matthew E. Fagan, Robin L. Chazdon, Benjamin E. Wilkinson, Angelica M. Almeyda Zambrano, Paul Foster, Daniel de Almeida Papa, Eben N. Broadbent, Danilo Roberti Alves de Almeida, Amanda L. Wendt, Eric Bastos Gorgens, Ruben Valbuena, Scott C. Stark, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Carl Salk, Danilo Roberti Alves de Almeida, Universdade de São Paulo (USP/ESALQ) / University of Florida, Angelica Maria Almeyda Zambrano, University of Florida, Eben North Broadbent, University of Florida, Amanda L. Wendt, Organization for Tropical Studies / EARTH University, Paul Foster, Reserva Ecológica Bijagual / University of Michigan, Benjamin E. Wilkinson, University of Florida, Carl Salk, University of Agricultural Sciences, DANIEL DE ALMEIDA PAPA, CPAF-AC, Scott Christopher Stark, Michigan State University, Ruben Valbuena, Bangor University, Eric Bastos Gorgens, Universidade Federal do Vale do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Carlos Alberto Silva, University of Florida / University of Maryland, Pedro Henrique Santin Brancalion, Universidade de São Paulo (USP/ESALQ), Matthew Fagan, University of Maryland, Paula Meli, Universidade de São Paulo (USP/ESALQ) / Universidad de La Frontera, and Robin Chazdon, University of Connecticut / University of the Sunshine Coast.
- Subjects
Northeastern Costa Rica ,0106 biological sciences ,Canopy ,Monitoring ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Forest restoration ,Caribbean lowlands ,Vehículos aéreos no tripulados ,Reconhecimento Florestal ,Unmanned aerial vehicles ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Aerial surveys ,Diversity index ,Floresta Tropical ,Teledetección ,Sarapiquí ,Leaf area index ,Restauración de bosques ,Restoration ecology ,Bosques lluviosos ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Raio Laser ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Floresta Secundaria ,Lidar ,Biomassa aérea ,Regeneração florestal ,Monitoreo ,Biomasa aérea ,Aboveground biomass ,Species diversity ,Forestry ,Understory ,Remote sensing ,TECNOLOGIA LIDAR ,Drone ,Spatial heterogeneity ,Heredia Province ,Environmental science ,Secondary forest ,GatorEye ,Rain forests ,Secondary forests ,Bosques secundarios ,Sensoriamento Remoto - Abstract
Drone-based remote sensing is a promising new technology that combines the benefits of ground-based and satellite-derived forest monitoring by collecting fine-scale data over relatively large areas in a cost-effective manner. Here, we explore the potential of the GatorEye drone-lidar system to monitor tropical forest succession by canopy structural attributes including canopy height, spatial heterogeneity, gap fraction, leaf area density (LAD) vertical distribution, canopy Shannon index (an index of LAD), leaf area index (LAI), and understory LAI. We focus on these variables? relationship to aboveground biomass (AGB) stocks and species diversity. In the Caribbean lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica, we analyze nine tropical forests stands (seven secondgrowth and two old-growth). Stands were relatively homogenous in terms of canopy height and spatial heterogeneity, but not in their gap fraction. Neither species density nor tree community Shannon diversity index was significantly correlated with the canopy Shannon index. Canopy height, LAI, and AGB did not show a clear pattern as a function of forest age. However, gap fraction and spatial heterogeneity increased with forest age, whereas understory LAI decreased with forest age. Canopy height was strongly correlated with AGB. The heterogeneous mosaic created by successional forest patches across human-managed tropical landscapes can now be better characterized. Drone-lidar systems offer the opportunity to improve assessment of forest recovery and develop general mechanistic carbon sequestration models that can be rapidly deployed to specific sites, an essential step for monitoring progress within the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Made available in DSpace on 2020-08-01T11:12:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 27015.pdf: 1386408 bytes, checksum: cce9ebab5fed640e715ad6387e973c5a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020
- Published
- 2020
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