Canadian Forest Service Publications
Mapping forest biomass from inventory and remotely sensed data. 1999. Fournier, R.E.; Luther, J.; Wulder, M.A.; Magnussen, S.; Guindon, L.; Lambert, M.-C.; Beaubien, J. Pages 171-178 (Vol. II) in Proceedings of the Fourth International Airborne Remote Sensing Conference and Exhibition / 21st Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, June 21-24, 1999, Ottawa, Canada. ERIM International Inc, Ann Arbor, MI.
Year: 1999
Issued by: Pacific Forestry Centre
Catalog ID: 32863
Language: English
Availability: Not available through the CFS (click for more information).
Abstract
A method for measuring forest biomass that integrates Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technologies with existing databases on ecosystems, forest inventories and canopy attributes is proposed. The centre piece of the proposal is a series of procedures and algorithms to map forest biomass using tree level attributes derived from available digital stand maps, which allows the derivation of general relationships with biomass from the inventory data sets. This method is dubbed the spatially explicit method. It is specifically designed to benefit from available forest inventory plot data and digital stand maps to calculate stand biomass estimates for large areas. When supplemented by satellite remotely sensed data, this method satisfies important monitoring and updating needs, as well as helping to close the gap between new technologies and traditional forestry practices. Three pilot regions of Canada (Newfoundland, Quebec and Saskatchewan) were selected to test the spatially-explicit method as a convenient way of assessing the impact of differences in forest ecosystems and in forest management practices on the applicability of the method to varying conditions. Results of these experiments are discussed.