From the plot to the landscape: characterizing forest structure and gap-size frequency in Peruvian Amazonia using LiDAR data
Authors: Boyd, D., Hill, R.A., Hopkinson, C. and Baker, T.R.
Conference: ForestSAT 2012
Dates: 12-14 September 2012
Abstract:- Objectives: (i) to assess the representativeness of permanent sample plots in a lowland Amazonian context in terms of their structure and disturbance regime; and thereby (ii) to assess whether the plots afford a reliable estimate of the carbon balance of their wider landscape.
- Methods: canopy height distributions and gap-size frequency distributions were generated at three (nested) spatial scales from rasterised LiDAR data. The gap-size frequency distributions were then analysed by evaluating the power-law exponent (α).
- Results: of the total number of canopy ‘gaps’ identified, just 0.45% were larger than 100m2, with a power-law exponent (α) value of the gap-size frequency distribution at 2.22. Whilst differences in disturbance regimes were seen between different forest types, the PSPs had a similar structure and disturbance regime to the surrounding forest. • Relevance: these results suggest that a network of 1ha plots can provide a reasonable estimate of the carbon balance of this landscape.
Source: Manual
Preferred by: Ross Hill