Exploring the relation between remotely sensed vertical canopy structure and tree species diversity in Gabon

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15548414
AutoresSuzanne Marselis (0000-0001-9187-8799, University of Maryland, College Park, autor de correspondencia), Suzanne Mariëlle Marselis, Hao Tang (0009-0008-7427-6321, University of Maryland, College Park), John Armston (0000-0003-1232-3424, University of Maryland, College Park), Katharine Abernethy (0000-0002-0393-9342, University of Stirling), Alfonso Alonso (0000-0001-6860-8432, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute), Nicolas Barbier (0000-0002-5323-3866, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Pulchérie Bissiengou (0000-0002-3779-7362, Omar Bongo University), Kathryn J Jeffery (0000-0002-2632-0008, University of Stirling), Kathryn Jeffery, David Kenfack (0000-0001-8208-3388, Smithsonian Institution), Nicolas Labrière (0000-0002-8037-2001, Laboratoire Evolution et Diversite Biologique), Seung-Kuk Lee (0000-0002-9573-9144, University of Maryland, College Park), Su Lin Lewis (0000-0002-8066-6851, University of Leeds), Hervé Memiaghe (0000-0001-7954-4761, Institut Africain d'Informatique), John R Poulsen (0000-0002-1532-9808, Duke University), Lee White (0000-0002-4595-5981, University of Stirling), Ralph Dubayah (0000-0003-1440-6346, University of Maryland, College Park)
Año2019
Volumen14
Número9
Páginas094013-094013
Fecha de publicación2019-06-28
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEnvironmental Research Letters (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326
EditorialIOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1088/1748-9326/ab2dcd
OpenAlexW2954176626
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas32

Mapping tree species diversity is increasingly important in the face of environmental change and biodiversity conservation. We explore a potential way of mapping this diversity by relating forest structure to tree species diversity in Gabon. First, we test the relation between canopy height, as a proxy for niche volume, and tree species diversity. Then, we test the relation between vertical canopy structure, as a proxy for vertical niche occupation, and tree species diversity. We use large footprint full-waveform airborne lidar data collected across four study sites in Gabon (Lopé, Mabounié, Mondah, and Rabi) in combination with in situ estimates of species richness (S) and Shannon diversity (H′). Linear models using canopy height explained 44% and 43% of the variation in S and H′ at the 0.25 ha resolution. Linear models using canopy height and the plant area volume density profile explained 71% of this variation. We demonstrate applications of these models by mapping S and H′ in Mondah using a simulated GEDI-TanDEM-X fusion height product, across the four sites using wall-to-wall airborne lidar data products, and across and between the study sites using ICESat lidar waveforms. The modeling results are encouraging in the context of developing pan-tropical structure-diversity models applicable to data from current and upcoming spaceborne remote sensing missions

Biodiversity · Biology · Canopy · Context (archaeology · Geography · Lidar · Physical geography · Proxy (statistics · Remote sensing · Species diversity · Species richness · Statistics · Tree canopy · Environmental Science · Forest ecology and management · Mathematics · Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications · Remote Sensing in Agriculture · Ecology