Allometric scaling theory-based maximum forest tree height and biomass estimation in the Three Gorges reservoir region using multi-source remote-sensing data

作者:Cao, CX (Cao, Chunxiang)[ 1 ] ; Ni, XL (Ni, Xiliang)[ 1 ] ; Wang, XJ (Wang, Xuejun)[ 2 ] ; Lu, SL (Lu, Shilei)[ 2 ] ; Zhang, YX (Zhang, Yuxing)[ 2 ] ; Dang, YF (Dang, Yongfeng)[ 2 ] ; Singh, RP (Singh, Ramesh P.)[ 3 ]

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING

卷: 37  期: 5  页: 1210-1222

DOI: 10.1080/01431161.2015.1117682

出版年: MAR 2016

摘要

Most terrestrial carbon is stored in forest biomass, which plays an important role in local, regional, and global climate change. Monitoring of forests and their status, and accurate estimation of forest biomass are important in mitigating the impacts of climate change. Empirical models developed using remote-sensing and field-measured forest data are commonly used to estimate forest biomass. In the present study, we used a mechanistic model to estimate height and biomass in the Three Gorges reservoir region (China) based on the allometric scale and resource limits (ASRL) model. The forests in the Three Gorges reservoir region are important and unique in view of the vertical distribution of vegetation and mixed needleleaf. Detailed information about the forest in this region is available from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) and field measurements from 714 forest plots. The ASRL model parameters were adjusted using GLAS-derived forest tree height to reduce the deviation between modelled and observed forest height. The predicted maximum forest tree height from the optimized ASRL model was compared to measured tree heights, and a good correlation (R-2 = 0.566) was found. The allometric scale function between forest height and diameter at breast height (DBH) is developed and the maximum forest tree height from the optimized ASRL model transferred to DBH. Moreover, the forest biomass was estimated from DBH according to the allometric scale function that was determined using DBH and biomass data. The results of maximum forest biomass using the ASRL model and the allometric scale function show a good accuracy (R-2 = 0.887) in the Three Gorges reservoir region. Here, we present the forest biomass estimation approach following allometric theory for accurate estimation of maximum forest tree height and biomass. The proposed approach can be applied to forest species in all types of environmental conditions.

通讯作者地址: Cao, CX (通讯作者)

Chinese Acad Sci, State Key Lab Remote Sensing Sci, Inst Remote Sensing & Digital Earth, Beijing, Peoples R China.

地址:

[ 1 ] Chinese Acad Sci, State Key Lab Remote Sensing Sci, Inst Remote Sensing & Digital Earth, Beijing, Peoples R China

[ 2 ] State Forestry Adm, Planning Design & Res Inst, Beijing, Peoples R China

[ 3 ] Chapman Univ, School Life & Environm Sci, Schmid Coll Sci & Technol, Orange, CA USA