Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass

Abstract Despite advances in Earth observation and modeling, estimating tropical biomass remains a challenge. Recent work suggests that integrating satellite measurements of canopy height within ecosystem models is a promising approach to infer biomass. We tested the feasibility of this approach to...

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Main Authors: E. Joetzjer, M. Pillet, P. Ciais, N. Barbier, J. Chave, M. Schlund, F. Maignan, J. Barichivich, S. Luyssaert, B. Hérault, F. vonPoncet, B. Poulter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-07-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074150
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author E. Joetzjer
M. Pillet
P. Ciais
N. Barbier
J. Chave
M. Schlund
F. Maignan
J. Barichivich
S. Luyssaert
B. Hérault
F. vonPoncet
B. Poulter
author_facet E. Joetzjer
M. Pillet
P. Ciais
N. Barbier
J. Chave
M. Schlund
F. Maignan
J. Barichivich
S. Luyssaert
B. Hérault
F. vonPoncet
B. Poulter
author_sort E. Joetzjer
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Despite advances in Earth observation and modeling, estimating tropical biomass remains a challenge. Recent work suggests that integrating satellite measurements of canopy height within ecosystem models is a promising approach to infer biomass. We tested the feasibility of this approach to retrieve aboveground biomass (AGB) at three tropical forest sites by assimilating remotely sensed canopy height derived from a texture analysis algorithm applied to the high‐resolution Pleiades imager in the Organizing Carbon and Hydrology in Dynamic Ecosystems Canopy (ORCHIDEE‐CAN) ecosystem model. While mean AGB could be estimated within 10% of AGB derived from census data in average across sites, canopy height derived from Pleiades product was spatially too smooth, thus unable to accurately resolve large height (and biomass) variations within the site considered. The error budget was evaluated in details, and systematic errors related to the ORCHIDEE‐CAN structure contribute as a secondary source of error and could be overcome by using improved allometric equations.
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institution Kabale University
issn 0094-8276
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publishDate 2017-07-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-1010d9e18b66493084678f025bc2f7042025-08-20T03:49:46ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072017-07-0144136823683210.1002/2017GL074150Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomassE. Joetzjer0M. Pillet1P. Ciais2N. Barbier3J. Chave4M. Schlund5F. Maignan6J. Barichivich7S. Luyssaert8B. Hérault9F. vonPoncet10B. Poulter11Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USADepartment of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USALaboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement LSCE‐IPSL (CEA‐CNRS‐UVSQ) Gif‐sur‐Yvette FranceIRD UMR AMAP Botany and Modeling of Architecture of Plants and Vegetations Montpellier FranceLaboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique Toulouse FranceEuropean Space Research and Technology Centre European Space Agency Nordwijk NetherlandsLaboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement LSCE‐IPSL (CEA‐CNRS‐UVSQ) Gif‐sur‐Yvette FranceInstituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio Universidad Austral de Chile Valdivia ChileDepartment of Ecological Sciences Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam NetherlandsCIRAD UMR Ecologie des Forêt de Guyane Kourou FranceAirbus Defence and Space Immenstaad GermanyDepartment of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USAAbstract Despite advances in Earth observation and modeling, estimating tropical biomass remains a challenge. Recent work suggests that integrating satellite measurements of canopy height within ecosystem models is a promising approach to infer biomass. We tested the feasibility of this approach to retrieve aboveground biomass (AGB) at three tropical forest sites by assimilating remotely sensed canopy height derived from a texture analysis algorithm applied to the high‐resolution Pleiades imager in the Organizing Carbon and Hydrology in Dynamic Ecosystems Canopy (ORCHIDEE‐CAN) ecosystem model. While mean AGB could be estimated within 10% of AGB derived from census data in average across sites, canopy height derived from Pleiades product was spatially too smooth, thus unable to accurately resolve large height (and biomass) variations within the site considered. The error budget was evaluated in details, and systematic errors related to the ORCHIDEE‐CAN structure contribute as a secondary source of error and could be overcome by using improved allometric equations.https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074150Biomassradar satellite imageryoptical satellite imagerylarge‐scale ecosystem model
spellingShingle E. Joetzjer
M. Pillet
P. Ciais
N. Barbier
J. Chave
M. Schlund
F. Maignan
J. Barichivich
S. Luyssaert
B. Hérault
F. vonPoncet
B. Poulter
Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass
Geophysical Research Letters
Biomass
radar satellite imagery
optical satellite imagery
large‐scale ecosystem model
title Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass
title_full Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass
title_fullStr Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass
title_full_unstemmed Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass
title_short Assimilating satellite‐based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass
title_sort assimilating satellite based canopy height within an ecosystem model to estimate aboveground forest biomass
topic Biomass
radar satellite imagery
optical satellite imagery
large‐scale ecosystem model
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074150
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