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The development of high-resolution mapping models for forest attributes based on remote sensing data combined with machine or deep learning techniques, has become a prominent topic in the field of forest observation and monitoring. This has resulted in an extensive availability of multiple sources of information, which can either lead to a potential confusion, or to the possibility to learn both about models and about forest attributes through the joint interpretation of multiple models. This article seeks to endorse the latter, by relying on the Bayesian model averaging (BMA) approach, which can be used to diagnose and interpret differences among predictions of different models. The predictions in our case are the forest canopy height estimations for the metropolitan France coming from five different models (Lang et al., 2023; Liu et al., 2023; Morin et al., 2022; Potapov et al., 2021; Schwartz et al., 2024). An independent reference dataset, containing four different definitions of the forest height (dominant, mean, maximum and Lorey's), comes from the French National Forest Inventory (NFI) providing some 5 500 plots used in the study, distributed across the entire area of interest. In this contribution, we line up the evoked models with respect to their probabilities to be the ones generating measurements/estimations at the NFI plots. Stratifying the probabilities based on French sylvo-ecological regions reveals spatial variation in the respective model probabilities across the area of interest. Furthermore, we observe significant variability in these probabilities depending on the forest height definition used. This leads us to infer that the different models inadvertently exhibit dominant predictions for different types of canopy height. We also present the respective inter-model and intra-model variance estimations, allowing us to come to understand where the employed models have comparable weights but contrasted predictions. We show that the mountainous terrain has an important impact on the models spread. Moreover, we observe that the forest stand vertical structure, the dominant tree species and the type of forest ownership systematically appear to be statistically significant factors influencing the models divergence. Finally, we demonstrate that the derived mixture models exhibit higher R 2 scores and lower RMSE values compared to individual models, although they may not necessarily exhibit lower biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context The increasing availability of aerial photographs and the development of dense matching algorithms open up new possibilities to assess the effects of storm vents on forest canopies. Aims The objective of this research is to assess the potential of diachronic canopy height models derived from photogrammetric point clouds (PCHM) to quantify changes in dominant height and wood volume of a broadleaved forest following a major storm. Methods PCHMs derived from aerial photographs acquired before and after a storm event were calibrated using 25 field plots to estimate dominant height and volume using various modeling approaches. The calibrated models were combined with a reference damage maps to estimate both the withinstand damage variability, and the amount of volume impacted. Results Dominant height was predicted with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 4%, and volume with RMSEs ranging from 24 to 32% according to the type of model. The volume impacted by storm was in the range of 42–76%. Overall, the maps of dominant height changes provided more details about within-stand damage variability than conventional photointerpretation do. Conclusion The study suggests a promising potential for exploiting PCHM in pursuit of a rapid localization and quantification of wind-throw damages, given an adapted sampling design to calibrate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The accuracy of remote sensing-based models of forest attributes could be improved by controlling the spatial registration of field and remote sensing data. We have demonstrated the potential of an algorithm matching plot-level field tree positions with lidar canopy height models and derived local maxima to achieve a precise registration automatically. Context: The accuracy of remote sensing-based estimates of forest parameters depends on the quality of the spatial registration of the training data. Aims: This study introduces an algorithm called RegisTree to correct field plot positions by matching a spatialized field tree height map with lidar canopy height models (CHMs). Methods: RegisTree is based on a point (field positions) to surface (CHM) adjustment approach modified to ensure that at least one field tree position corresponds to CHM local maxima. Results: RegisTree has been validated with respect to positioning errors and the performance of lidar-derived estimation of plot volume. Overall, RegisTree enabled to register field plots surveyed in a range of forest conditions with a precision of 1.5 m (± 1.23 m), but a higher performance for conifer plots, and a limited efficiency in homogeneous stands, having similar heights. Improved plot positions were found to have a limited impact on volume predictions under the range of tested conditions, with a gain up to 1.3%. Conclusion: RegisTree could be used to improve the forest plot position from field surveys collected with low-grade GPS and to contribute to the development of processing chains of 3D remote sensing-based models of forest parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multisource forest inventory methods were developed to improve the precision of national forest inventory estimates. These methods rely on the combination of inventory data and auxiliary information correlated with forest attributes of interest. As these methods have been predominantly tested over coniferous forests, the present study used this approach for heterogeneous and complex deciduous forests in the center of France. The auxiliary data considered included a forest type map, Landsat 8 spectral bands and derived vegetation indexes, and 3D variables derived from photogrammetric canopy height models. On a subset area, changes in canopy height estimated from two successive photogrammetric models were also used. A model-assisted inference framework, using a k nearest-neighbors approach, was used to predict 11 field inventory variables simultaneously. The results showed that among the auxiliary variables tested, 3D metrics improved the precision of dendrometric estimates more than other auxiliary variables. Relative efficiencies (RE) varying from 2.15 for volume to 1.04 for stand density were obtained using all auxiliary variables. Canopy height changes also increased RE from 3% to 26%. Our results confirmed the importance of 3D metrics as auxiliary variables and demonstrated the value of canopy change variables for increasing the precision of estimates of forest structural attributes such as density and quadratic mean diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]