Result TO01000345-V5
Within the following text, you’ll find an in-depth exposition of the findings from TO01000345-V5 -Methodology – Assessment of forest ecosystem function performance by remote sensing approaches.
The main objecive of this methodology is to evaluate the ecosystem functions of forest ecosytems through remote sensing, specificaly its production and regulation functions. For this purpose, indicators such as net primary production (NPP) and evapotranspiration are used. These indicators elucidate the patterns of forest productivity in relation to the water balance in the Czech Republic. Results of this methodology are demonstrated in a case study – a trend analysis of time series obtained from satellite remote sensing data.
The presented results are based on global and open MODIS satellite data products, which provide users (e.g. forest managers, owners and state forest administration authorities) a tool to better understand the long-term response of forests to changing environmental conditions induced by climate change. The results show areas where long-term trends (since 2001) in productivity and evapotranspiration are declining, stagnating or increasing. Analyses can also be focused on individual forest tree species, as demonstrated for Norway spruce, whose productivity declines significantly at lower elevations. These data-driven findings should be used to support decision making in the forestry sector. Limitations stemming from temporal and spatial resolutions of used data should be considered when interpreting the results of the case study.
The selected MODIS satellite data at a spatial resolution of 500 m is suitable mainly for national level analyses, and therefore may not fully assess the spatial heterogeneity of forests and landscape features typical for Czech conditions. The development of custom, national products with higher spatial resolution that reflect the diversity of the local landscape will be crucial for effective and accurate data evaluation for forest management purposes.
Airborne laser scanning methods were incorporated for a detailed local assessment of current forest production. In contrast to long-term productivity trends derived from satellite data time series, these methods provide very detailed information on current above-ground biomass or timber stocks at the spatial resolution of tens of meters at the level of individual stands. Unfortunately, the Czech Republic is one of the few EU countries where up-to-date airborne laser scanning data are not available, which makes it impossible to apply the method for nationwide mapping.