Prototype campaign assessment of disturbance-induced tree loss effects on surface properties for atmospheric modeling

ABSTRACT: Changes in large-scale vegetation structure triggered by processes such as deforestation, wildfires, and tree die-off alter surface structure, energy balance, and associated albedo—all critical for land surface models. Characterizing these properties usually requires long-term data, precluding characterization of rapid vegetation changes such as those increasingly occurring in the Anthropocene. Consequently, the characterization of rapid events is limited and only possible in a few specific areas. We use a campaign approach to characterize surface properties associated with vegetation structure. In our approach, a profiling LiDAR and hemispherical image analyses quantify vegetation structure and a portable mast instrumented with a net radiometer, wind–humidity–temperature stations in a vertical profile, and soil temperature–heat flux characterize surface properties. We illustrate the application of our approach in two forest types (boreal and semiarid) with disturbance-induced tree loss. Our prototype characterizes major structural changes associated with tree loss, changes in vertical wind profiles, surface roughness energy balance partitioning, a proxy for NDVI (Normalized Differential Vegetation Index), and albedo. Multi-day albedo estimates, which differed between control and disturbed areas, were similar to tower-based multiyear characterizations, highlighting the utility and potential of the campaign approach. Our prototype provides general characterization of surface and boundary-layer properties relevant for land surface models, strategically enabling preliminary characterization of rapid vegetation disturbance events.

• Autores: Law, Darin J.; Stark, Scott C.; Minor, David M.; Breshears, David; Scott R., Saleska; Swann, Abigail; García, Elizabeth B.; Bella, Elizabeth M.; Morton, John M.; Cobb, Neil S.; Greg A., Barron Gafford; Marcy E., Litvak; Kolb, Thomas E.
• Tipo de recurso: Article of investigation
• Fecha de publicación: 2017
• Institución: Universidad de Antioquia
• Repositorio: Repositorio UdeA
• Idioma: eng
• OAI Identifier: oai:bibliotecadigital.udea.edu.co:10495/12830
• Acceso en línea: http://hdl.handle.net/10495/12830
• Palabra clave: Albedo; Estructura de la vegetación; Balance de energía; Muerte del árbol; Perturbación de la vegetación
• Rights: openAccess
• License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/