Improved tree height estimation of secondary forests in the Brazilian Amazon

This paper presents a novel approach for estimating the height of individual trees in secondary forests at two study sites: Manaus (central Amazon) and Santarém (eastern Amazon) in the Brazilian Amazon region. The approach consists of adjusting tree height-diameter at breast height (H:DBH) models in each study site by ecological species groups: pioneers, early secondary, and late secondary. Overall, the DBH and corresponding height (H) of 1,178 individual trees were measured during two field campaigns: August 2014 in Manaus and September 2015 in Santarém. We tested the five most commonly used log-linear and nonlinear H:DBH models, as determined by the available literature. The hyperbolic model: H = a.DBH/(b+DBH) was found to present the best fit when evaluated using validation data. Significant differences in the fitted parameters were found between pioneer and secondary species from Manaus and Santarém by F-test, meaning that site-specific and also ecological-group H:DBH models should be used to more accurately predict H as a function of DBH. This novel approach provides specific equations to estimate height of secondary forest trees for particular sites and ecological species groups. The presented set of equations will allow better biomass and carbon stock estimates in secondary forests of the Brazilian Amazon

Three-dimensional mapping of light transmittance and foliage distribution using lidar

The horizontal and vertical distributions of light transmittance were evaluated as a function of foliage distribution using lidar (light detection and ranging) observations for a sugar maple (Acer saccharum) stand in the Turkey Lakes Watershed. Along the vertical profile of vegetation, horizontal slices of probability of light transmittance were derived from an Optech ALTM 1225 instrument's return pulses (two discrete, 15-cm diameter returns) using indicator kriging. These predictions were compared with (i) below canopy (1-cm spatial resolution) transect measurements of the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) and (ii) measurements of tree height. A first-order trend was initially removed from the lidar returns. The vertical distribution of vegetation height was then sliced into nine percentiles and indicator variograms were fitted to them. Variogram parameters were found to vary as a function of foliage height above ground. In this paper, we show that the relationship between ground measurements of FPAR and kriged estimates of vegetation cover becomes stronger and tighter at coarser spatial resolutions. Three-dimensional maps of foliage distribution were computed as stacks of the percentile probability surfaces. These probability surfaces showed correspondence with individual tree-based observations and provided a much more detailed characterization of quasi-continuous foliage distribution. These results suggest that discrete-return lidar provides a promising technology to capture variations of foliage characteristics in forests to support the development of functional linkages between biophysical and ecological studies

Sample Grain Influences the Functional Relationship Between Canopy Cover and Gopher Tortoise ( Gopherus polyphemus

Change in vegetation structure alters habitat suitability for the threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). An understanding of this dynamic is crucial to inform habitat and tortoise management strategies. However, it is not known how the choice of the sample grain (i.e., cell size) at which vegetation structure is measured impacts estimates of tortoise-habitat relationships. We used lidar remote sensing to estimate canopy cover around 1573 gopher tortoise burrows at incrementally larger sample grains (1-707 m2) in 450 ha of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savanna. Using an information theoretic approach, we demonstrate that the choice of grain size profoundly influences modeled relationships between canopy cover and burrow abandonment. At the most supported grain size (314 m2), the probability of burrow abandonment increased by 1.7% with each percent increase in canopy cover. Ultimately, detecting the appropriate sample grain can lead to more effective development of functional relationships and improve predictive models to manage gopher tortoise habitats