The Forest Observation System, building a global reference dataset for remote sensing of forest biomass

Abstract

Forest biomass is an essential indicator for monitoring the Earth’s ecosystems and climate. It is a critical input to greenhouse gas accounting, estimation of carbon losses and forest degradation, assessment of renewable energy potential, and for developing climate change mitigation policies such as REDD+, among others. Wall-to-wall mapping of aboveground biomass (AGB) is now possible with satellite remote sensing (RS). However, RS methods require extant, up-to-date, reliable, representative and comparable in situ data for calibration and validation. Here, we present the Forest Observation System (FOS) initiative, an international cooperation to establish and maintain a global in situ forest biomass database. AGB and canopy height estimates with their associated uncertainties are derived at a 0.25 ha scale from field measurements made in permanent research plots across the world’s forests. All plot estimates are geolocated and have a size that allows for direct comparison with many RS measurements. The FOS offers the potential to improve the accuracy of RS-based biomass products while developing new synergies between the RS and ground-based ecosystem research communities.

Metadata

Authors/Creators:

Schepaschenko, D
Chave, J
Phillips, OL https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8993-6168
Lewis, SL
Davies, SJ
Réjou-Méchain, M
Sist, P
Scipal, K
Perger, C
Herault, B
Labrière, N
Hofhansl, F
Affum-Baffoe, K
Aleinikov, A
Alonso, A
Amani, C
Araujo-Murakami, A
Armston, J
Arroyo, L
Ascarrunz, N
Azevedo, C
Baker, T
Bałazy, R
Bedeau, C
Berry, N
Bilous, AM
Bilous, SY
Bissiengou, P
Blanc, L
Bobkova, KS
Braslavskaya, T
Brienen, R https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5397-5755
Burslem, DFRP
Condit, R
Cuni-Sanchez, A
Danilina, D
del Castillo Torres, D
Derroire, G
Descroix, L
Doff Sotta, E
d'Oliveira, MVN
Dresel, C
Erwin, T
Evdokimenko, MD
Falck, J
Feldpausch, TR
Foli, EG
Foster, R
Fritz, S
Garcia-Abril, AD
Gornov, A
Gornova, M
Gothard-Bassébé, E
Gourlet-Fleury, S
Guedes, M
Hamer, KC https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2158-2420
Susanty, FH
Higuchi, N
Honorio Coronado, EN
Hubau, W
Hubbell, S
Ilstedt, U
Ivanov, VV
Kanashiro, M
Karlsson, A
Karminov, VN
Killeen, T
Konan Koffi, J-C
Konovalova, M
Kraxner, F
Krejza, J
Krisnawati, H
Krivobokov, LV
Kuznetsov, MA
Lakyda, I
Lakyda, PI
Licona, JC
Lucas, RM
Lukina, N
Lussetti, D
Malhi, Y
Manzanera, JA
Marimon, B
Marimon Junior, BH
Vasquez Martinez, R
Martynenko, OV
Matsala, M
Matyashuk, RK
Mazzei, L
Memiaghe, H
Mendoza, C
Monteagudo Mendoza, A
Moroziuk, OV
Mukhortova, L
Musa, S
Nazimova, DI
Okuda, T
Claudio Oliveira, L
Ontikov, PV
Osipov, AF
Pietsch, S
Playfair, M
Poulsen, J
Radchenko, VG
Rodney, K
Rozak, AH
Ruschel, A
Rutishauser, E
See, L
Shchepashchenko, M
Shevchenko, N
Shvidenko, A
Silveira, M
Singh, J
Sonké, B
Souza, C
Stereńczak, K
Stonozhenko, L
Sullivan, MJP https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5955-0483
Szatniewska, J
Taedoumg, H
ter Steege, H
Tikhonova, E
Toledo, M
Trefilova, OV
Valbuena, R
Valenzuela Gamarra, L
Vasiliev, S
Vedrova, EF
Verhovets, SV
Vidal, E
Vladimirova, NA
Vleminckx, J
Vos, VA
Vozmitel, FK
Wanek, W
West, TAP
Woell, H
Woods, JT
Wortel, V
Yamada, T
Shari Nur Hajar, Z
Zo-Bi, IC

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