Accuracy investigation of forest canopy height estimation by ICESat-2 satellite in Kheyroud forest

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

2 CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, TETIS, University of Montpellier, AgroParisTech, CEDEX 5, 34093 Montpellier, France.

10.22059/jfwp.2024.368338.1269

Abstract

Knowing the forest canopy height is essential for evaluating the health and dynamics of forest ecosystems, as well as for monitoring and modeling the carbon cycle and biodiversity. However, measuring canopy height through ground surveys is costly and time-consuming. Since 2018, the ICESat-2 satellite, equipped with the ATLAS laser sensor, has enabled the direct measurement of tree height. Although ICESat-2 is specifically designed to estimate ice height, it also provides significant data on vegetation height on the Earth's surface. This study aims to investigate the ability of the ATLAS sensor to accurately estimate forest canopy height in northern Iran. For this purpose, the vegetation height data from the ATLAS sensor (ATL08) was evaluated in the Kheyroud experimental forest. To validate the accuracy of the estimated forest canopy height by ATLAS, the forest height data obtained from the satellite were compared with the maximum tree height measured in 121 plots collocated with LiDAR footprints. The estimated forest canopy height by ATLAS and the maximum measured height of trees were compared using a t-test. The RMSE, rRMSE, and R2 values were 0.87 m, 2.7%, and 0.98, respectively, indicating the high accuracy of the ATLAS sensor in forest canopy height estimation. The results of the t-test showed that the mean difference between the measured maximum height of trees in the plots and the corresponding values extracted from ICESat-2 satellite data is not statistically significant (P > 0.05). This study demonstrates that the satellite estimates forest canopy height with very good accuracy in the forests of northern Iran, with a slight overestimation in areas with low-height trees.

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Main Subjects

References

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Forest and Wood Products
Volume 77, Issue 1
June 2024
Pages 85-96

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