Integrating forest structural diversity measurement into ecological research

The measurement of forest structure has evolved steadily due to advances in technology, methodology, and theory. Such advances have greatly increased our capacity to describe key forest structural elements and resulted in a range of measurement approaches from traditional analog tools such as measurement tapes to highly derived and computationally intensive methods such as advanced remote sensing tools (e.g., lidar, radar). This assortment of measurement approaches results in structural metrics unique to each method, with the caveat that metrics may be biased or constrained by the measurement approach taken. While forest structural diversity (FSD) metrics foster novel research opportunities, understanding how they are measured or derived, limitations of the measurement approach taken, as well as their biological interpretation is crucial for proper application. We review the measurement of forest structure and structural diversity—an umbrella term that includes quantification of the distribution of functional and biotic components of forests. We consider how and where these approaches can be used, the role of technology in measuring structure, how measurement impacts extend beyond research, and current limitations and potential opportunities for future research

Terrestrial LiDAR-derived non-destructive woody biomass estimates for 10 hardwood species in Virginia

This article contains data related to the research article entitled “Assessing terrestrial laser scanning for developing non-destructive biomass allometry” (Stovall et al., 2018 [1]) and presents 258 terrestrial LiDAR-derived estimates of tree volume and biomass. The terrestrial LiDAR acquisitions were completed in the Center for Tropical Forest Science - Forest Global Earth Observatory (CTFS-ForestGEO) plot in Front Royal, Virginia, USA. The data includes tree diameter at breast height (DBH), total tree height, tree length (correcting for tree lean), average wood density, estimated wood volume, and dry weight or biomass for all trees. These data were used to develop aboveground biomass models [1] and the reader is referred to this study for additional information, interpretation, and reflection on applying this data