Article
Forestry
Barbara Zimbres, Pedro Rodriguez-Veiga, Julia Z. Shimbo, Polyanna da Conceicao Bispo, Heiko Balzter, Mercedes Bustamante, Iris Roitman, Ricardo Haidar, Sabrina Miranda, Leticia Gomes, Fabricio Alvim Carvalho, Eddie Lenza, Leonardo Maracahipes-Santos, Ana Clara Abadia, Jamir Afonso do Prado Junior, Evandro Luiz Mendonca Machado, Anne Priscila Dias Gonzaga, Marcela de Castro Nunes Santos Terra, Jose Marcio de Mello, Jose Roberto Soares Scolforo, Jose Roberto Rodrigues Pinto, Ane Alencar
Summary: A study was conducted to build an aboveground woody biomass model for the Brazilian Cerrado biome using optical and SAR imagery, with Random Forest algorithm showing slightly better results compared to the Classification and Regression Tree model. However, the models underestimated very high aboveground woody biomass and slightly overestimated low biomass.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Buruh Abebe Tetemke, Emiru Birhane, Meley Mekonen Rannestad, Tron Eid
Summary: Stand structural diversity is the most important driving factor for AGC stock, while woody plant species diversity has both direct and indirect effects. Altitude and slope have negative but weak associations with AGC stock.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Yutao Wang, Yujia Shen, Yingzhong Xie, Hongbin Ma, Wanchun Li, Xu Luo, Hao Zhang, Yi Zhang, Jianping Li
Summary: The study shows that changes in precipitation have significant effects on the steppe ecosystem, and vegetation cover plays a crucial role in the short-term response of ANPP to climate change.
Article
Ecology
Clement Jean Frederic Delcourt, Sander Veraverbeke
Summary: This study presents values of mean squared diameter and specific gravity that can be used to calculate fine dead and downed woody debris loads in Cajander larch forests in northeast Siberia. These values provide important references for accurately estimating aboveground biomass in the region.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yaqing Gou, Casey M. Ryan, Johannes Reiche
Summary: This study utilizes the semi-empirical water cloud model (WCM) to account for backscattering from soil moisture in AGBC retrieval from radar imagery. The results show that WCM effectively considers the impact of soil moisture and significantly improves the quality of regional AGBC mosaics.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
R. Bagheri, S. Shataee Jouibary, Y. Erfanifard
Summary: This study focuses on estimating the aboveground biomass and carbon stock of wild pistachio trees in a reserved forest area of South Khorasan Province, East of Iran, using individual tree crown detection and allometric development based on high-resolution satellite images of GeoEye-1. The results indicate that the crown area can explain more than 80% of the variation in biomass and carbon stock, and the overall detection rate and quality of crown boundaries were acceptable using the proposed methods.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shipra Shah, D. P. Sharma
Summary: The study assessed the spatial distribution and changes in forest carbon stocks in the Solan Forest Division of the Indian Himalayan Region from 1998-2010. It found a significant relationship between carbon stock and Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and suggested that the increase in carbon stock could be attributed to felling bans, afforestation, natural aging of secondary forests, and natural regeneration. The study concluded that NDVI derived from optical imagery can be used to assess vegetation carbon dynamics in subtropical forests of the region.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ming-Yun Chu, Wan-Yu Liu
Summary: Taiwan has implemented various measures to reduce carbon emissions, including increasing forest carbon storage through the REDD strategy. The study found that focusing on carbon sink with REDD strategies can save costs for Taiwan and support its carbon neutrality target.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Peng Zang, Yanhong Zhang, Ziqi Chen, Guanglei Hou, Zhaoli Liu, Xingchang Lu
Summary: By establishing a remote-sensing estimation model, the amount of fuel in different months of the dry-grass season can be accurately predicted, effectively preventing the occurrence of fires, protecting the environment, facilitating local management, and reducing economic losses.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Oleg Yunev, Jacob Carstensen, Ludmila Stelmakh, Vladimir Belokopytov, Vyacheslav Suslin
Summary: This study investigated the temporal changes of phytoplankton biomass and blooms in different shelf regions in the western part of the Black Sea. The results showed that the base phytoplankton biomass had a seasonal peak in October-November, with the highest values in the Romanian inner shelf region. The majority of blooms were short-lived events, with spring blooms coinciding with peak riverine input and the formation of thermocline in other regions. Autumn blooms were likely sustained by nutrient accumulation and regenerated nutrients from sedimenting organic matter and sediments. Large diatoms may contribute to autumn blooms in outer shelf regions through harvesting new nitrate and hosting endosymbiotic cyanobacteria.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabor Onodi, Miklos Kertesz, Attila Lengyel, Ildiko Pandi, Laszlo Somay, Katalin Szitar, Gyorgy Kroel-Dulay
Summary: The study found that the increase in juniper cover in the study area resulted in a sharp decline in plant species richness and a shift in species composition. Wildfire increased species richness in both grassland and juniper plots, with only temporary compositional responses in grasslands as juniper habitats reverted back to the grassland state.
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Pierre Hiernaux, Amadou Adamou Kalilou, Laurent Kergoat, Martin Brandt, Eric Mougin, Yasmin Fitts
Summary: Although there has been a recovery of woody vegetation throughout the Sahel, this trend has not been observed in western Niger. Field data from 29 sites in the Dantiandou district in Niger shows a decrease in woody plant parameters, primarily due to the loss of shrubs. The decline in woody vegetation cannot be explained by changes in annual rainfall and soil moisture, but is likely a result of the expansion of cropped areas and increasing demand for wood resources.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Soumik Basu, David J. Sauchyn
Summary: The Prairie provinces in Canada, which have a significant amount of agricultural land and contribute to a large portion of the nation's wheat and canola production, are facing increasing dryness during the growing season despite increased total precipitation. This study highlights the potential impact of these changes on Canada's agro-economy.
Article
Ecology
James A. Lutz, Soren Struckman, Tucker J. Furniss, C. Alina Cansler, Sara J. Germain, Larissa L. Yocom, Darren J. McAvoy, Crystal A. Kolden, Alistair M. S. Smith, Mark E. Swanson, Andrew J. Larson
ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew T. Hudak, Patrick A. Fekety, Van R. Kane, Robert E. Kennedy, Steven K. Filippelli, Michael J. Falkowski, Wade T. Tinkham, Alistair M. S. Smith, Nicholas L. Crookston, Grant M. Domke, Mark Corrao, Benjamin C. Bright, Derek J. Churchill, Peter J. Gould, Robert J. McGaughey, Jonathan T. Kane, Jinwei Dong
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2020)
Article
Plant Sciences
Raquel Partelli-Feltrin, Alistair M. S. Smith, Henry D. Adams, Crystal A. Kolden, Daniel M. Johnson
Summary: Understanding tree physiological responses to fire is crucial to accurately model post-fire carbon processes and inform management decisions. Two experiments were conducted to assess short- and long-term fire effects on Pinus ponderosa sapling water transport. While fire did not impact native percentage loss of conductivity and xylem cell wall structure, surviving saplings were found to be more vulnerable to cavitation 21 months post-fire, suggesting decreased resistance to embolism in fire-wounded plants may contribute to sapling mortality in the years following fire.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brandon E. McNellis, Alistair M. S. Smith, Andrew T. Hudak, Eva K. Strand
Summary: Climate change is projected to have a significant impact on forest vulnerability to wildfires, insects, disease, and droughts in the western United States. Species identity was found to be the most important predictor of mortality, with contributions from climate and soil variables. The study suggests that future predictions of widespread forest mortality should focus on vulnerable species and that significant mortality events in certain species may not have a large impact on all systems.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Martin J. Wooster, Gareth J. Roberts, Louis Giglio, David P. Roy, Patrick H. Freeborn, Luigi Boschetti, Chris Justice, Charles Ichoku, Wilfrid Schroeder, Diane Davies, Alistair M. S. Smith, Alberto Setzer, Ivan Csiszar, Tercia Strydom, Philip Frost, Tianran Zhang, Weidong Xu, Mark C. de Jong, Joshua M. Johnston, Luke Ellison, Krishna Vadrevu, Aaron M. Sparks, Hannah Nguyen, Jessica McCarty, Veerachai Tanpipat, Chris Schmidt, Jesus San-Miguel-Ayanz
Summary: Landscape fire is a significant aspect of Earth's biogeochemical cycling, with both ecological benefits and potential risks. Satellite Earth Observation data is essential for understanding the drivers and impacts of landscape fires, as well as for fire management.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Aaron M. Sparks, Alistair M. S. Smith
Summary: In this study, the ability of the ForestView(R) algorithm to detect individual trees, classify tree species, live/dead status, canopy position, and estimate height and DBH in a complex forest was assessed. The algorithm showed high accuracy in stands with lower canopy cover but lower accuracy in stands with higher canopy cover.
Review
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Erin J. Hanan, Maureen C. Kennedy, Jianning Ren, Morris C. Johnson, Alistair M. S. Smith
Summary: Climate change has impacted wildfire seasons and fire regimes worldwide. It is crucial to capture fuel and fire dynamics accurately for projecting future Earth system processes. Fine fuel decomposition is identified as a key uncertainty in model systems, leading to uncertainties in fuel loading estimates.
JOURNAL OF ADVANCES IN MODELING EARTH SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mark Corrao, Aaron M. Sparks, Alistair M. S. Smith
Summary: This study compares the accuracy of ForestView(R) biometrics analysis system, traditional cruise techniques, and felled tree measurements in acquiring forest inventories at an individual-tree level. The results show that ForestView(R) has a high Individual Tree Detection (ITD) accuracy and better tree height accuracy compared to traditional cruise techniques. Additionally, the study demonstrates the utility of ForestView(R) in characterizing forest structure in similar coniferous landscapes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aaron M. Sparks, Mark Corrao, Alistair M. S. Smith
Summary: This study evaluated the accuracy of seven individual tree detection methods in coniferous forest stands, showing that higher ALS pulse density data resulted in higher ITD accuracy. Omission errors were mainly related to stand density, and the use of simple canopy height model methods could reduce omission errors.
Article
Plant Sciences
Raquel Partelli-Feltrin, Alistair M. S. Smith, Henry D. Adams, R. Alex Thompson, Crystal A. Kolden, Kara M. Yedinak, Daniel M. Johnson
Summary: Disruption of photosynthesis and carbon transport due to fire can lead to tree mortality. This study found that a lethal fire dose had an impact on nonstructural carbohydrates and xylem hydraulics in Pinus ponderosa saplings. While photosynthesis and whole plant nonstructural carbohydrates declined postfire, water transport remained unchanged, and the cause of death was likely phloem and cambium necrosis.
Editorial Material
Ecology
Wade T. T. Tinkham, Lauren E. E. Lad, Alistair M. S. Smith
Article
Ecology
Luke A. Wilson, Robert N. Spencer, Doug P. Aubrey, Joseph J. O'Brien, Alistair M. S. Smith, Ream W. Thomas, Daniel M. Johnson
Summary: The longleaf pine ecosystem is dependent on frequent fire, but this study shows that longleaf pine seedlings have relatively low mortality rates when exposed to high surface fire intensity and drought.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacquelyn K. Shuman, Jennifer K. Balch, Rebecca T. Barnes, Philip E. Higuera, Christopher I. Roos, Dylan W. Schwilk, E. Natasha Stavros, Tirtha Banerjee, Megan M. Bela, Jacob Bendix, Sandro Bertolino, Solomon Bililign, Kevin D. Bladon, Paulo Brando, Robert E. Breidenthal, Brian Buma, Donna Calhoun, Leila M. V. Carvalho, Megan E. Cattau, Kaelin M. Cawley, Sudeep Chandra, Melissa L. Chipman, Jeanette Cobian-Iniguez, Erin Conlisk, Jonathan D. Coop, Alison Cullen, Kimberley T. Davis, Archana Dayalu, Fernando De Sales, Megan Dolman, Lisa M. Ellsworth, Scott Franklin, Christopher H. Guiterman, Matthew Hamilton, Erin J. Hanan, Winslow D. Hansen, Stijn Hantson, Brian J. Harvey, Andres Holz, Tao Huang, Matthew D. Hurteau, Nayani T. Ilangakoon, Megan Jennings, Charles Jones, Anna Klimaszewski-Patterson, Leda N. Kobziar, John Kominoski, Branko Kosovic, Meg A. Krawchuk, Paul Laris, Jackson Leonard, S. Marcela Loria-Salazar, Melissa Lucash, Hussam Mahmoud, Ellis Margolis, Toby Maxwell, Jessica L. McCarty, David B. McWethy, Rachel S. Meyer, Jessica R. Miesel, W. Keith Moser, R. Chelsea Nagy, Dev Niyogi, Hannah M. Palmer, Adam Pellegrini, Benjamin Poulter, Kevin Robertson, Adrian V. Rocha, Mojtaba Sadegh, Fernanda Santos, Facundo Scordo, Joseph O. Sexton, A. Surjalal Sharma, Alistair M. S. Smith, Amber J. Soja, Christopher Still, Tyson Swetnam, Alexandra D. Syphard, Morgan W. Tingley, Ali Tohidi, Anna T. Trugman, Merritt Turetsky, J. Morgan Varner, Yuhang Wang, Thea Whitman, Stephanie Yelenik, Xuan Zhang
Summary: Fire is a crucial element in ecosystems globally, but altered fire regimes due to global change are causing devastating impacts. Addressing the increasing fire danger requires interdisciplinary and inclusive partnerships, as well as integration of diverse knowledge and data for more predictive and adaptive approaches.
Review
Ecology
Stephen D. Fillmore, Sarah M. McCaffrey, Alistair M. S. Smith
Summary: A study on the decision-making process of managed wildfire under the US federal wildland fire policy found that operational concerns and risk aversion were the main obstacles to managing wildfires, while the desire of decision makers was the most supportive factor. The complexity of the managed fire decision-making process itself may act as a barrier to its implementation.
Article
Ecology
Joshua Clark, John T. Abatzoglou, Nicholas J. Nauslar, Alistair M. S. Smith