Practicalities of Non-Destructive Methodologies in Monitoring Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Tropical Forests under the Influence of Human Intervention

Abstract

We examined non-destructive methodologies for practicalities in monitoring anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from tropical dry-land forest under the influence of various forms of human intervention. Spaceborne SAR withstood comparison with Landsat ETM+ in land cover classification of degraded tropical forest. For measurement of carbon stock and GHG flux per unit land area, the gain-loss method requires both growth rate and removal rate of forest carbon stock. However, the latter has rarely been obtained in tropical forest. For the stock-difference method, permanent sampling plot data can be used to estimate mean carbon stock per unit land area of each forest type. For cyclic land use that includes a clear-cutting stage such as slash-and-burn agriculture, chronosequential changes in carbon stock can be predicted by determining the time and spatial-distribution of cleared land. Changes in forest biomass by logging, storm-damage, etc., may be identified by monitoring the presence and diameter of the crowns of overstory trees. We developed five equations containing the parameter for crown diameter for estimating tree biomass. Overstory height can be a parameter for estimating ecosystem carbon stock of various plant communities, and forest height can be measured by airborne and spaceborne sensors, etc. Generic equations containing the parameter for overstory height are available for estimating community biomass of tropical and subtropical forests. PALSAR has an advantage over other remote systems by enabling frequent sensing and semidirect biomass estimation using backscattering coefficients. However, no reasonable remote sensing methods exist for monitoring the amount of carbon loss by forest conversion and logging in forests This paper reports the results obtained in the "Tropical Rain Forest Research Project (Phase II) (Japan International Cooperation Agency); Ministry of Education and Culture,

Estimation of aboveground biomass in mangrove forests using vegetation indices from SPOT-5 image

“…The combination of field-measured and remote sensing data assesses aboveground biomass (AGB), carbon stock and their changes over extensive coverage areas (Kiyono et al 2011). Similarly, the combination of aerial photography and lower resolution satellite images such as Landsat and Systeme Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre 5 (SPOT-5) are also essential in the assessment and mapping of mangrove forests (Heumann 2011).…”

“…The soil of mangrove forest stores significant amount of carbon compared with other types of forest given its high sediment concentration (Tateda et al 2005, Patil et al 2014. Average carbon storage in mangrove soil is five times larger than in other types of forest soil (Kauffman & Donato 2012). Thus, it is crucial to study the biomass of mangrove trees in order to describe…”

Extreme Learning Machine-based Crop Classification using ALOS/PALSAR Images

“…Generally, only the FBS and FBD modes were adopted, and HH polarization data were regularly obtained. Furthermore, PALSAR backscattering coefficients were a powerful tool for biomass estimation (Kiyono et al 2011). The PALSAR data (level 1.5 products) were converted from digital number images to sigma naught images, which are the radiometrically calibrated power images referenced to the ground, using the PALSAR Level 1.1/1.5 product format description procedures (JAXA 2008).…”

Physicochemical Surface-soil Properties after Litter-removal Manipulation in a Cambodian Lowland Dry Evergreen Forest

“…Despite recent intensive investigations into Cambodian forest ecosystems 39 , especially concerning forest soil [47][48][49] , groundwater resource capacity 2,29,51 , and tree biomass C stock 20,38 , the linkage between above-and belowground C stock information remains scant 19,53 . Additionally, information on the effects of forest changes on soil properties mainly concern land-use conversion (e.g.…”