HR: 0830h
AN: B41C-0895    [PDF]
TI: Carbon and Nutrient Transfer due to Selective Logging in the Amazon Using Remote Sensing Data.
AU: * Olander, L P
EM: lolander@globalecology.stanford.edu
AF: Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA 94305 United States
AU: Asner, G P
EM: gpa@stanford.edu
AF: Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA 94305 United States
AU: Bustamante, M M
EM: mercedes@unb.br
AF: Departmento de Ecologia Universidade de Brasilia, Campus Universit rio Darcy Ribeiro CEP 70.919-970, Brasilia, DF 70919-970 Brazil
AB: Until recently it was thought that remotely sensed data was not sensitive enough to detect and quantify selective logging damage in tropical forests. Spectral mixture analysis of multispectral remote sensing data resolves fractions of surface covered by photosynthetic vegetation (PV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV = litter and woody debris), and bare soil. We have successfully applied this method to detect selective logging in the Amazon and have developed an equation to estimate canopy gap fraction in selectively logged areas using a combination of field and satellite data. The Tapajos National Forest in Para is the site of a controlled logging experiment where reduced impact logging (RIL) has been measured and monitored. In RIL, vines and lianas are cut before trees are felled. This practice should reduce damage to surrounding areas and thus may result in logging damage that correlates to the size and number of trees removed. We tested how well an estimate of gap fraction from EO-1 Advanced Land Imager data correlated with harvested wood volume in logging blocks. Percent gap ranged from 9-22%, while volume harvested ranged from 26-54 m3/ha. Remote sensing derived canopy gap fraction data can also be used to quantify green canopy biomass and nutrients transferred to the ground during logging. Canopy biomass transferred averaged 25.07 kg/ha for 5 logging blocks immediately following timber harvests in 2001. Canopy carbon and nitrogen transfers were estimated at 12.56 kg C/ha and 0.44 kg N/ha for the same year. Our results suggest that remotely sensed data can provide valuable information about the spatial characteristics and quantity of C and nutrients altered by selective logging.
DE: 1640 Remote sensing
DE: 4805 Biogeochemical cycles (1615)
DE: 9360 South America
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting