Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data
The forest tree height and aboveground biomass (AGB) are important indicators for monitoring changes and trends in forest carbon storage and terrestrial carbon fluxes. Accurate large-scale wall-to-wall mapping of the forest tree height and AGB remain challenging due to the limited data availability...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-07-01
|
| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21003101 |
| _version_ | 1830077546972053504 |
|---|---|
| author | Yueting Wang Xiaoli Zhang Zhengqi Guo |
| author_facet | Yueting Wang Xiaoli Zhang Zhengqi Guo |
| author_sort | Yueting Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The forest tree height and aboveground biomass (AGB) are important indicators for monitoring changes and trends in forest carbon storage and terrestrial carbon fluxes. Accurate large-scale wall-to-wall mapping of the forest tree height and AGB remain challenging due to the limited data availability for extraction tree height and the data signal saturation problem in AGB estimation. In this study, we explored the potential of forest tree height mapping using stereo imageries, and analyzed whether accounting for such information, in addition to optical sensor data, could improve the performance of AGB estimations of coniferous forests in a case study in North China. First, a spatially continuous tree height product was obtained using Ziyuan-3 satellite (ZY-3) stereo images combined with a digital elevation model (DEM) obtained from Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) data. Second, two AGB estimation models were established by combining the forest tree height with vegetation index, spectral, biophysical (from Sentinel-2 images), and topographic variables. A random forest algorithm was utilized to evaluate the effect of including the tree height variable in the AGB estimation. The results showed that the tree height estimation using the nadir and forward views of the ZY-3 stereo images was more accurate than that based on the nadir and backward views from the same images. The AGB estimation model incorporating the tree height variable with a coefficient of determination value of 0.7789, a root mean square error (RMSE) value of 29.815 Mg/ha and a relative RMSE of 23.42% was more robust and effective, thereby demonstrating that the tree height variable can be used to alleviate the data signal saturation issue successfully. The proposed approach can provide new insight into forest tree height mapping and AGB products obtained from satellite stereo images and freely accessible Sentinel-2 multispectral images. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:18:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29e391ce2667452e9cfb4d2bb53f4b28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:18:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-29e391ce2667452e9cfb4d2bb53f4b282022-12-21T23:37:22ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2021-07-01126107645Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM dataYueting Wang0Xiaoli Zhang1Zhengqi Guo2Precision Forestry Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaPrecision Forestry Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Corresponding author.Precision Forestry Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaThe forest tree height and aboveground biomass (AGB) are important indicators for monitoring changes and trends in forest carbon storage and terrestrial carbon fluxes. Accurate large-scale wall-to-wall mapping of the forest tree height and AGB remain challenging due to the limited data availability for extraction tree height and the data signal saturation problem in AGB estimation. In this study, we explored the potential of forest tree height mapping using stereo imageries, and analyzed whether accounting for such information, in addition to optical sensor data, could improve the performance of AGB estimations of coniferous forests in a case study in North China. First, a spatially continuous tree height product was obtained using Ziyuan-3 satellite (ZY-3) stereo images combined with a digital elevation model (DEM) obtained from Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) data. Second, two AGB estimation models were established by combining the forest tree height with vegetation index, spectral, biophysical (from Sentinel-2 images), and topographic variables. A random forest algorithm was utilized to evaluate the effect of including the tree height variable in the AGB estimation. The results showed that the tree height estimation using the nadir and forward views of the ZY-3 stereo images was more accurate than that based on the nadir and backward views from the same images. The AGB estimation model incorporating the tree height variable with a coefficient of determination value of 0.7789, a root mean square error (RMSE) value of 29.815 Mg/ha and a relative RMSE of 23.42% was more robust and effective, thereby demonstrating that the tree height variable can be used to alleviate the data signal saturation issue successfully. The proposed approach can provide new insight into forest tree height mapping and AGB products obtained from satellite stereo images and freely accessible Sentinel-2 multispectral images.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21003101ZY-3 stereo imagerySentinel-2Forest tree heightAboveground biomassRandom forest |
| spellingShingle | Yueting Wang Xiaoli Zhang Zhengqi Guo Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data Ecological Indicators ZY-3 stereo imagery Sentinel-2 Forest tree height Aboveground biomass Random forest |
| title | Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data |
| title_full | Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data |
| title_fullStr | Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data |
| title_short | Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data |
| title_sort | estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in north china using stereo zy 3 multispectral sentinel 2 and dem data |
| topic | ZY-3 stereo imagery Sentinel-2 Forest tree height Aboveground biomass Random forest |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21003101 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yuetingwang estimationoftreeheightandabovegroundbiomassofconiferousforestsinnorthchinausingstereozy3multispectralsentinel2anddemdata AT xiaolizhang estimationoftreeheightandabovegroundbiomassofconiferousforestsinnorthchinausingstereozy3multispectralsentinel2anddemdata AT zhengqiguo estimationoftreeheightandabovegroundbiomassofconiferousforestsinnorthchinausingstereozy3multispectralsentinel2anddemdata |