Mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree cover
Abstract Detecting tree cover is crucial for sustainable land management and climate mitigation. Here we develop an automatic detection algorithm using high-resolution satellite data (<5 m) to map pan-tropical tree cover (2015–2022), enabling identification and change analysis for previously unde...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60662-z |
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| author | Shidong Liu Jie Zhang Li Wang Philippe Ciais Jianjun Zhang Josep Penuelas Biswajit Nath Iskid Jacquet Xia Wu Shengping Ding Wang Li Ni Huang Wanjuan Song WenJian Ni Zheng Niu |
| author_facet | Shidong Liu Jie Zhang Li Wang Philippe Ciais Jianjun Zhang Josep Penuelas Biswajit Nath Iskid Jacquet Xia Wu Shengping Ding Wang Li Ni Huang Wanjuan Song WenJian Ni Zheng Niu |
| author_sort | Shidong Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Detecting tree cover is crucial for sustainable land management and climate mitigation. Here we develop an automatic detection algorithm using high-resolution satellite data (<5 m) to map pan-tropical tree cover (2015–2022), enabling identification and change analysis for previously undetected tree cover (PUTC). Our findings reveal that neglecting PUTC represents 17.31 ± 1.78% of the total pan-tropical tree cover. Tree cover net decreased by 61.05 ± 2.36 Mha in both forested areas (63.93%) and non-forested areas (36.07%) between 2015 and 2022. Intense changes in tree cover are primarily observed in regions with PUTC, where the World Cover dataset with a resolution of 10 m often fails to accurately detect tree cover. We also conduct a sensitivity analysis to quantify the contributions f climate factors and anthropogenic impacts (including human activities and land use cover change) to tree cover dynamics. Our findings indicate that 43.98% of tree cover gain is linked to increased precipitation, while 56.03% of tree cover loss is associated with anthropogenic impacts. These findings highlight the need to include undetected tree cover in strategies combating degradation, climate change, and promoting sustainability. Fine-scale mapping can improve biogeochemical cycles modeling and vegetation-climate interactions, improving global change understanding. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-841a9fb4f4184846977076a25f8dd8b3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-841a9fb4f4184846977076a25f8dd8b32025-08-20T03:03:37ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-60662-zMapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree coverShidong Liu0Jie Zhang1Li Wang2Philippe Ciais3Jianjun Zhang4Josep Penuelas5Biswajit Nath6Iskid Jacquet7Xia Wu8Shengping Ding9Wang Li10Ni Huang11Wanjuan Song12WenJian Ni13Zheng Niu14State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Land Science and Technology, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE-IPSL (CEA-CNRS-UVSQ), Université Paris-SaclaySchool of Land Science and Technology, China University of GeosciencesCREAF, Cerdanyola Del VallesDepartment of Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of ChittagongSchool of Land Science and Technology, China University of GeosciencesGeography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinFaculty of Science, University of CopenhagenState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Detecting tree cover is crucial for sustainable land management and climate mitigation. Here we develop an automatic detection algorithm using high-resolution satellite data (<5 m) to map pan-tropical tree cover (2015–2022), enabling identification and change analysis for previously undetected tree cover (PUTC). Our findings reveal that neglecting PUTC represents 17.31 ± 1.78% of the total pan-tropical tree cover. Tree cover net decreased by 61.05 ± 2.36 Mha in both forested areas (63.93%) and non-forested areas (36.07%) between 2015 and 2022. Intense changes in tree cover are primarily observed in regions with PUTC, where the World Cover dataset with a resolution of 10 m often fails to accurately detect tree cover. We also conduct a sensitivity analysis to quantify the contributions f climate factors and anthropogenic impacts (including human activities and land use cover change) to tree cover dynamics. Our findings indicate that 43.98% of tree cover gain is linked to increased precipitation, while 56.03% of tree cover loss is associated with anthropogenic impacts. These findings highlight the need to include undetected tree cover in strategies combating degradation, climate change, and promoting sustainability. Fine-scale mapping can improve biogeochemical cycles modeling and vegetation-climate interactions, improving global change understanding.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60662-z |
| spellingShingle | Shidong Liu Jie Zhang Li Wang Philippe Ciais Jianjun Zhang Josep Penuelas Biswajit Nath Iskid Jacquet Xia Wu Shengping Ding Wang Li Ni Huang Wanjuan Song WenJian Ni Zheng Niu Mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree cover Nature Communications |
| title | Mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree cover |
| title_full | Mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree cover |
| title_fullStr | Mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree cover |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree cover |
| title_short | Mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan-tropical tree cover |
| title_sort | mapping previously undetected trees reveals overlooked changes in pan tropical tree cover |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60662-z |
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