Estimation of tree height and aboveground biomass of coniferous forests in North China using stereo ZY-3, multispectral Sentinel-2, and DEM data. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yueting; Zhang, Xiaoli; Guo, Zhengqi
• Is Part Of: Ecological indicators. Volume 126(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: AGB aboveground biomass -- ZY-3 Ziyuan-3 satellite -- DEM digital elevation model -- RF random forest -- ALOS Advanced Land Observing Satellite -- DSM digital surface model -- DTM digital terrain model -- SAR synthetic aperture radar -- LiDAR light detection and ranging -- GLAS Geoscience Laser Altimeter System -- LAI leaf area index -- InSAR Interferometric SAR -- PolInSAR Polarimetric SAR Interferometry -- DBH diameter at breast height -- CCD charge-coupled device -- RPC rational polynomial coefficients -- GCP ground control point -- NIR near infrared -- SWIR short-wave infrared -- R2 coefficient of determination -- RMSE the root mean square error -- MAE mean absolute error -- rRMSE relative RMSE -- DT decision tree; ZY-3 stereo imagery -- Sentinel-2 -- Forest tree height -- Aboveground biomass -- Random forest; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Sustainable development -- Periodicals; 333.71405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107645
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-160X

Abstract

Highlights: A method of extracting tree height using DSM of stereo image and DEM is proposed. Build different AGB estimation models through incorporation of tree height variable. The forests AGB estimation model with tree height alleviates the saturation problem. Abstract: 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.