Search

Most existing remote sensing-based evapotranspiration (ET) algorithms rely exclusively on polar-orbiting satellites with thermal infrared sensors, and therefore the resulting ET values represent only "instantaneous or snapshot" values. However, daily ET is more meaningful and useful in applications. In this study, daily ET estimates are obtained by combining data from the MODIS sensor aboard the polar-orbiting Terra satellite and the SEVIRI sensor aboard the geostationary-orbiting MSG satellite. The procedure consists of estimating the instantaneous evaporative fraction (EF) based on the MODIS/Terra land data products, and estimating the daily net radiation and daily available energy based on the 30-min SEVIRI/MSG data products. Assuming constant EF during the daytime, daily ET is estimated as the product of the SEVIRI/MSG-based daily available energy and MODIS/Terra-based instantaneous EF. The daily ET estimates are evaluated against flux tower measurements at four validation sites in Africa. Results indicate that the synergistic use of SEVIRI/MSG and MODIS/Terra has the potential to provide reliable estimates of daily ET during wet periods when daily ET exceeds 1. mm/day. The satellite-based daily ET estimates however tend to underestimate ET by 13% to 35%. The daily ET estimation algorithm can further be improved by incorporating a temporal data-filling interpolation technique to estimate the unavailable net radiation information during cloudy sky conditions, and by improving the accuracy of the instantaneous EF. The assumption of constant evaporative fraction during the daytime is reasonable, and does not result in substantial errors in the daily ET estimates.

Vegetation phenology is the study of the timing of seasonal events that are considered to be the result of adaptive responses to climate variations on short and long time scales. In the field of remote sensing of vegetation phenology, phenological metrics are derived from time series of optical data. For that purpose, considerable effort has been specifically focused on developing noise reduction and cloud-contaminated data removal techniques to improve the quality of remotely-sensed time series. Comparative studies between time series composed of satellite data acquired under clear and cloudy conditions and from radiometric data obtained with high accuracy from ground-based measurements constitute a direct and effective way to assess the operational use and limitations of remote sensing for predicting the main plant phenological events. In the present paper, we sought to explicitly evaluate the potential use of MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing data for monitoring the seasonal dynamics of different types of vegetation cover that are representative of the major terrestrial biomes, including temperate deciduous forests, evergreen forests, African savannah, and crops. After cloud screening and filtering, we compared the temporal patterns and phenological metrics derived from in situ NDVI time series and from MODIS daily and 16-composite products. We also evaluated the effects of residual noise and the influence of data gaps in MODIS NDVI time series on the identification of the most relevant metrics for vegetation phenology monitoring. The results show that the inflexion points of a model fitted to a MODIS NDVI time series allow accurate estimates of the onset of greenness in the spring and the onset of yellowing in the autumn in deciduous forests (RMSE

article i nfo Plant phenology characterises the seasonal cyclicity of biological events such as budburst, flowering, fructifi- cation, leaf senescence and leaf fall. These biological events are genetically pre-determined but also strongly modulated by climatic conditions, particularly temperature, daylength and water availability. Therefore, the timing of these events is considered as a good indicator of climate change impacts and as a key parameter for understanding and modelling vegetation-climate interactions. In situ observations, empirical or bioclimatic models and remotely sensed time-series data constitute the three possible ways for monitoring the timing of plant phenological events. Remote sensing has the advantage of being the only way of surface sampling at high temporal frequency and, in the case of satellite-based remote sensing, over large regions. Neverthe- less, exogenous factors, particularly atmospheric conditions, lead to some uncertainties on the seasonal course of surface reflectance and cause bias in the identification of vegetation phenological events. Since 2005, a network of forest and herbaceous sites has been equipped with laboratory made NDVI sensors to monitor the temporal dynamics of canopy structure and phenology at an intra-daily time step. In this study, we present recent results obtained in several contrasting biomes in France, French Guiana, Belgium and Congo. These sites represent a gradient of vegetation ecosystems: the main evergreen and deciduous for- est ecosystems in temperate climate region, an evergreen tropical rain forest in French Guiana, an herbaceous savanna ecosystem in Congo, and a succession of three annual crops in Belgium. In this paper, (1) we provide an accurate description of the seasonal dynamics of vegetation cover in these different ecosystems (2) we identify the most relevant remotely sensed markers from NDVI time-series for determining the dates of the main phenological events that characterize these ecosystems and (3) we discuss the relationships be- tween temporal canopy dynamics and climate factors. In addition to its importance for phenological studies, this ground-based Network of NDVI measurement provides data needed for the calibration and direct valida- tion of satellite observations and products.

In savannah and tropical grasslands, which account for 60% of grasslands worldwide, a large share of ecosystem carbon is located below ground due to high root:shoot ratios. Temporal variations in soil CO2 efflux (R-S) were investigated in a grassland of coastal Congo over two years. The objectives were (1) to identify the main factors controlling seasonal variations in R-S and (2) to develop a semi-empirical model describing R-S and including a heterotrophic component (R-H) and an autotrophic component (R-A). Plant above-ground activity was found to exert strong control over soil respiration since 71% of seasonal R-S variability was explained by the quantity of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed (APAR) by the grass canopy. We tested an additive model including a parameter enabling R-S partitioning into R-A and R-H. Assumptions underlying this model were that R-A mainly depended on the amount of photosynthates allocated below ground and that microbial and root activity was mostly controlled by soil temperature and soil moisture. The model provided a reasonably good prediction of seasonal variations in R-S (R-2 = 0.85) which varied between 5.4 mu mol m(-2) s(-1) in the wet season and 0.9 mu mol m(-2) s(-1) at the end of the dry season. The model was subsequently used to obtain annual estimates of R-S, R-A and R-H. In accordance with results reported for other tropical grasslands, we estimated that R-H accounted for 44% of R-S, which represented a flux similar to the amount of carbon brought annually to the soil from below-ground litter production. Overall, this study opens up prospects for simulating the carbon budget of tropical grasslands on a large scale using remotely sensed data. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In mixed-species forest stands, large losses in tree species diversity often occur during the regeneration phase. In a former coppice-with-standards, we investigated whether the limiting stage in the recruitment process of advance regeneration is the immediate seedling response to canopy release. Experimental canopy gaps were opened and the survival and growth of advance seedlings (Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer campestre, Acer platanoides) growing in the gaps or under closed canopy were monitored for three years. All species responded positively and rapidly to canopy release. Survival was not affected by gap opening. Diameter increment after gap opening was similar across species, and height increment was greater for Acer platanoides and for Acer pseudoplatanus. Post-release diameter and height growth were mainly determined by pre-release seedling size. Competition from neighbouring seedlings did not affect growth in the three years following canopy opening. In the recruitment process of F. sylvatica and Acer sp. advance regeneration, the recovery from canopy release did not appear as a limiting step that would filter against some species. Pre-release size was the main factor accounting for post-release growth and is probably a major determinant of long-term seedling dominance., Dans les peuplements mélangés, une forte réduction de la diversité spécifique a lieu au cours de la phase de régénération. Nous avons examiné dans un ancien taillis-sous-futaie dans quelle mesure la réponse immédiate des semis à l’ouverture du couvert adulte pouvait limiter le recrutement de semis préexistants. Des trouées ont été ouvertes dans le couvert, et la survie et la croissance de semis préexistants (Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer campestre, Acer platanoides), situés dans les trouées ou bien sous couvert fermé, ont été suivies pendant trois années. Les quatre espèces ont répondu positivement et rapidement à l’ouverture du couvert. La survie n’a pas été affectée par l’ouverture. Pour les semis dans les trouées, l’accroissement en diamètre était similaire pour les quatre espèces et l’accroissement en hauteur était plus important pour Acer platanoides et Acer pseudoplatanus. La croissance en hauteur et en diamètre après ouverture étaient principalement déterminées par les dimensions des semis avant ouverture. La compétition exercée par les semis voisins n’a pas affecté significativement la croissance dans les trois années qui ont suivi l’ouverture. La période d’acclimatation des semis aux nouvelles conditions après ouverture de la canopée n’est pas apparue comme un stade limitant le recrutement des semis préexistants de Fagus sylvatica, Acer sp., ni comme un filtre vis-à-vis de l’une des quatre espèces. Les dimensions initiales des semis constituaient le facteur principal expliquant la croissance après ouverture, et probablement un facteur explicatif important pour la dominance future des semis vis-à-vis de leurs voisins.

Summary Enhanced sapling growth in advance regeneration requires gaps in the canopy, but is often delayed after canopy opening, because acclimation of saplings to the new environment is gradual and may last for several years. Canopy opening is expected to result in an increased transpiration because of a larger climatic demand and a higher stomatal conductance linked to the higher rates of photosynthesis. Therefore, we focused on the changes in water relations and the hydraulic properties of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) saplings during 2 years after canopy opening. We tested the hypothesis that an increase in leaf-specific hydraulic conductance and a decrease in vulnerability to cavitation occur to sustain an enhanced transpiration. Hydraulic conductance of defoliated shoots, vulnerability to cavitation, size and density of xylem vessels as well as stomatal conductance were recorded on saplings growing in shade (S saplings) or in gaps created by opening the canopy (shade-to-light, SL saplings). Hydraulic conductance per unit cross-sectional area (KAS) did not differ in the shoots of S and SL saplings. But a higher ratio stem cross-sectional area/leaf area resulted in a higher leaf-specific hydraulic conductance of the shoots (KAL) of SL saplings. Contrary to expectations, vulnerability to cavitation increased transitorily in stems during the first year after canopy opening and no difference was observed between the two treatments in light-saturated stomatal conductance. During the second year, vulnerability to cavitation was similar in the S and SL saplings and light-saturated stomatal conductance increased in SL saplings. These results demonstrate a release of the hydraulic constraints after canopy opening with an adjustment of the ratio stem cross-sectional area/leaf area. But the larger vulnerability to cavitation during the first year could limit stomatal opening and therefore the ability of beech saplings to use the available light for photosynthesis and could therefore partly explain why the growth increase was delayed to the second growing season after canopy opening.

absent

absent