ANNA BARBATI (*)-BARBARA FERRARI (*) (°)-ALESSANDRO ALIVERNINI (*) ALESSANDRO QUATRINI (*)-PAOLO ... more ANNA BARBATI (*)-BARBARA FERRARI (*) (°)-ALESSANDRO ALIVERNINI (*) ALESSANDRO QUATRINI (*)-PAOLO MERLINI (**)-NICOLA PULETTI (**) PIERMARIA CORONA (**) SISTEMI FORESTALI E SEQUESTRO DEL CARBONIO IN ITALIA (*) Dipartimento per l'Innovazione nei sistemi Biologici,
Forests are complex ecological systems, characterised by multiple-scale structural and dynamical ... more Forests are complex ecological systems, characterised by multiple-scale structural and dynamical patterns which are not inferable from a system description that spans only a narrow window of resolution; this makes their investigation a difficult task using standard field sampling protocols. We segment a QuickBird image covering a beech forest in an initial stage of old-growthnessshowing, accordingly, a good degree of structural complexityinto three segmentation levels. We apply field-based diversity indices of tree size, spacing, species assemblage to quantify structural heterogeneity amongst forest regions delineated by segmentation. The aim of the study is to evaluate, on a statistical basis, the relationships between spectrally delineated image segments and observed spatial heterogeneity in forest structure, including gaps in the outer canopy. Results show that: some 45% of the segments generated at the coarser segmentation scale (level 1) are surrounded by structurally different neighbours; level 2 segments distinguish spatial heterogeneity in forest structure in about 63% of level 1 segments; level 3 image segments detect better canopy gaps, rather than differences in the spatial pattern of the investigated structural indices. Results support also the idea of a mixture of macro and micro structural heterogeneity within the beech forest: large size populations of trees homogeneous for the examined structural indices at the coarser segmentation level, when analysed at a finer scale, are internally heterogeneous; and vice versa. Findings from this study demonstrate that multiresolution segmentation is able to delineate scale-dependent patterns of forest structural heterogeneity, even in an initial stage of old-growth structural differentiation. This tool has therefore a potential to improve the sampling design of field surveys aimed at characterizing forest structural complexity across multiple spatio-temporal scales.
Piermaria CORONA Anna BARBATI Barbara FERRARI Luigi PORTOGHESI PIANIFICAZIONE ECOLOGICA DEI SISTE... more Piermaria CORONA Anna BARBATI Barbara FERRARI Luigi PORTOGHESI PIANIFICAZIONE ECOLOGICA DEI SISTEMI FORESTALI SCIENZE FORESTALI E ... Piegai, Pietro Piussi, Mario Pividori, Raoul Romano, Giuseppe Scarascia Mugnozza, Laura Secco, Giovanni Tabacchi ...
Ministero dell'ambiente. Servizio conservazione della natura. Accademia Italiana di Scienze ... more Ministero dell'ambiente. Servizio conservazione della natura. Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali. LINEE GUIDA PER LA GESTIONE ECOSOSTENIBILE DELLE RISORSE forestali e PASTORALI NEI PARCHI NAZIONALI. relazione finale e. manuale di gestione forestale. ...
Abstract: The latest generation of commercial satellite sensors provides image products with very... more Abstract: The latest generation of commercial satellite sensors provides image products with very high geometric resolution (VHR). VHR images have been extensively exploited in the last years for monitoring forest ecosystem conditions. This chapter presents a review of ...
Abstract: The current note responds to the critical contribution of Dr. Eastaugh on Chiesi et al.... more Abstract: The current note responds to the critical contribution of Dr. Eastaugh on Chiesi et al. (Chiesi et al. 2011). That paper did not aim at applying BIOME-BGC to simulate stand growth, which requires a thorough modification of the model functions. In contrast, only a parameter setting was changed in order to adjust the predicted carbon storages during the simulation of quasi-equilibrium conditions. The adjustment was calibrated on volume statistics derived from the Tuscany forest inventory and is suitable for regional scale applications.
Statistically-designed inventories and biodiversity monitoring programs are gaining relevance for... more Statistically-designed inventories and biodiversity monitoring programs are gaining relevance for biological conservation and natural resources management. Mandated periodic surveys provide unique opportunities to identify and satisfy natural resources management information needs. However, this is not an end in itself but rather is the beginning of a process that should lead to sound decision-making in biodiversity conservation. Forest inventories are currently evolving towards multipurpose resource surveys and are broadening their scope in several directions: (i) expansion of the target population to include non-traditional attributes such as trees outside the forest and urban forests; (ii) forest carbon pools and carbon sequestration estimation; (iii) assessment of forest health; and (iv) inclusion of additional variables such as biodiversity attributes that are not directly related to timber assessment and wood harvesting. There is an ongoing debate regarding the role of forest inventories in biodiversity assessment and monitoring. This paper presents a review on the topic that aims at providing updated knowledge on the current contribution of forest inventories to the assessment and monitoring of forest biodiversity conditions on a large scale. Specific objectives are fourfold: (i) to highlight the types of forest biodiversity indicators that can be estimated from data collected in the framework of standard forest inventories and the implications of different sampling methods on the estimation of the indicators; (ii) to outline current possibilities for harmonized estimation of biodiversity indicators in Europe from National Forest Inventory data; (iii) to show the added value for forest biodiversity monitoring of framing biodiversity indicators into ecologically meaningful forest type units; and (iv) to examine the potential of forest inventory sample data for estimating landscape biodiversity metrics.
Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is increasingly applied as a tool for extracting forest inventory d... more Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is increasingly applied as a tool for extracting forest inventory data. In recent years most applications for the assessment of forest standing volume rely on a single tree recognition approach, which generally gives satisfactory results in coniferous forests. The aim of this paper is to apply a rasterbased approach for the assessment of forest standing volume based on field measurements and a Digital Canopy Model (DCM) derived from ALS data. In addition, we explore the potential of hot spot analysis of DCM data for automatic forest gap detection, as a means to improve the accuracy of the estimation of forest standing volume by traditional estimation methods.
This paper describes applications of non-parametric and parametric methods for estimating forest ... more This paper describes applications of non-parametric and parametric methods for estimating forest growing stock volume using Landsat images on the basis of data measured in the field, integrated with ancillary information. Several k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) algorithm configurations were tested in two study areas in Italy belonging to Mediterranean and Alpine ecosystems. Field data were acquired by the regional forest inventory and forest management plans, and satellite images are from Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM+. The paper describes the data used, the methodologies adopted and the results achieved in terms of pixel level accuracy of forest growing stock volume estimates. The results show that several factors affect estimation accuracy when using the k-NN method. For the two test areas a total of 3500 different configurations of the k-NN algorithm were systematically tested by changing the number and type of spectral and ancillary input variables, type of multidimensional distance measures, number of nearest neighbors and methods for spectral feature extraction using the leave-one-out (LOO) procedure. The best k-NN configurations were then used for pixel level estimation; the accuracy was estimated with a bootstrapping procedure; and the results were compared to estimates obtained using parametric regression methods implemented on the same data set. The best k-NN growing stock volume pixel level estimates in the Alpine area have a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ranging between 74 and 96 m 3 ha − 1 (respectively, 22% and 28% of the mean measured value) and between 106 and 135 m 3 ha − 1 (respectively, 44% and 63% of the mean measured value) in the Mediterranean area. On the whole, the results cast a promising light on the use of non-parametric techniques for forest attribute estimation and mapping with accuracy high enough to support forest planning activities in such complex landscapes. The results of the LOO analyses also highlight the importance of a local empirical optimization phase of the k-NN procedure before defining the best algorithm configuration. In the tests performed the pixel level accuracy increased, depending on the k-NN configuration, as much as 100%.
The current paper describes the development and testing of a procedure which can use widely avail... more The current paper describes the development and testing of a procedure which can use widely available remotely sensed and ancillary data to assess large-scale patterns of forest productivity in Italy. To reach this objective a straightforward model (C-Fix) was applied which is based on the relationship between photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by plant canopies and relevant gross primary productivity (GPP). The original C-Fix methodology was improved by using more abundant ancillary information and more efficient techniques for NDVI data processing. In particular, two extraction methods were applied to NDVI data, derived from two sensors (NOAA-AVHRR and SPOT-VGT) to feed C-Fix. The accuracy of the model outputs was assessed through comparison with annual and monthly values of forest GPP derived from eight eddy covariance flux towers. The results obtained indicated the superiority of SPOT-VGT over NOAA-AVHRR data and a higher efficiency of the more advanced NDVI extraction method. Globally, the procedure was proved to be of easy and objective implementation and allowed the evaluation of mean productivity levels of existing forests on the national scale.
Urban areas are continuously expanding today, extending their influence on an increasingly large ... more Urban areas are continuously expanding today, extending their influence on an increasingly large proportion of woods and trees located in or nearby urban and urbanizing areas, the socalled urban forests. Although these forests have the potential for significantly improving the quality the urban environment and the well-being of the urban population, data to quantify the extent and characteristics of urban forests are still lacking or fragmentary on a large scale. In this regard, an expansion of the domain of multipurpose forest inventories like National Forest Inventories (NFIs) towards urban forests would be required.
This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright
... an operational forestry point of view it is adequate to discuss three scales: Single tree, st... more ... an operational forestry point of view it is adequate to discuss three scales: Single tree, stand and ... Whilst the forests provide an important resource for humans, they are a key repository of ... diver-sity; and the species, communities and ecosystems they form play a central role in the ...
The maintenance of certain levels of old forest represents a cornerstone of the EU's biodive... more The maintenance of certain levels of old forest represents a cornerstone of the EU's biodiversity management strategy. A consensus on a single general ecological definition of old‐growth is particularly difficult in Mediterranean Europe. The present paper deals with old‐growth forests and persistent woodlands in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (PNCVD) to give an ecological understanding of forest complexity and dynamics under a multiscale and multidisciplinary perspective. The multiscale approach ranged from the ...
Sustainable forest management (SFM) is presently widely accepted as the overriding objective for ... more Sustainable forest management (SFM) is presently widely accepted as the overriding objective for forest policy and practice. Regional processes are in progress all over the world to develop and implement criteria and indicators of SFM. In continental ...
ANNA BARBATI (*)-BARBARA FERRARI (*) (°)-ALESSANDRO ALIVERNINI (*) ALESSANDRO QUATRINI (*)-PAOLO ... more ANNA BARBATI (*)-BARBARA FERRARI (*) (°)-ALESSANDRO ALIVERNINI (*) ALESSANDRO QUATRINI (*)-PAOLO MERLINI (**)-NICOLA PULETTI (**) PIERMARIA CORONA (**) SISTEMI FORESTALI E SEQUESTRO DEL CARBONIO IN ITALIA (*) Dipartimento per l'Innovazione nei sistemi Biologici,
Forests are complex ecological systems, characterised by multiple-scale structural and dynamical ... more Forests are complex ecological systems, characterised by multiple-scale structural and dynamical patterns which are not inferable from a system description that spans only a narrow window of resolution; this makes their investigation a difficult task using standard field sampling protocols. We segment a QuickBird image covering a beech forest in an initial stage of old-growthnessshowing, accordingly, a good degree of structural complexityinto three segmentation levels. We apply field-based diversity indices of tree size, spacing, species assemblage to quantify structural heterogeneity amongst forest regions delineated by segmentation. The aim of the study is to evaluate, on a statistical basis, the relationships between spectrally delineated image segments and observed spatial heterogeneity in forest structure, including gaps in the outer canopy. Results show that: some 45% of the segments generated at the coarser segmentation scale (level 1) are surrounded by structurally different neighbours; level 2 segments distinguish spatial heterogeneity in forest structure in about 63% of level 1 segments; level 3 image segments detect better canopy gaps, rather than differences in the spatial pattern of the investigated structural indices. Results support also the idea of a mixture of macro and micro structural heterogeneity within the beech forest: large size populations of trees homogeneous for the examined structural indices at the coarser segmentation level, when analysed at a finer scale, are internally heterogeneous; and vice versa. Findings from this study demonstrate that multiresolution segmentation is able to delineate scale-dependent patterns of forest structural heterogeneity, even in an initial stage of old-growth structural differentiation. This tool has therefore a potential to improve the sampling design of field surveys aimed at characterizing forest structural complexity across multiple spatio-temporal scales.
Piermaria CORONA Anna BARBATI Barbara FERRARI Luigi PORTOGHESI PIANIFICAZIONE ECOLOGICA DEI SISTE... more Piermaria CORONA Anna BARBATI Barbara FERRARI Luigi PORTOGHESI PIANIFICAZIONE ECOLOGICA DEI SISTEMI FORESTALI SCIENZE FORESTALI E ... Piegai, Pietro Piussi, Mario Pividori, Raoul Romano, Giuseppe Scarascia Mugnozza, Laura Secco, Giovanni Tabacchi ...
Ministero dell'ambiente. Servizio conservazione della natura. Accademia Italiana di Scienze ... more Ministero dell'ambiente. Servizio conservazione della natura. Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali. LINEE GUIDA PER LA GESTIONE ECOSOSTENIBILE DELLE RISORSE forestali e PASTORALI NEI PARCHI NAZIONALI. relazione finale e. manuale di gestione forestale. ...
Abstract: The latest generation of commercial satellite sensors provides image products with very... more Abstract: The latest generation of commercial satellite sensors provides image products with very high geometric resolution (VHR). VHR images have been extensively exploited in the last years for monitoring forest ecosystem conditions. This chapter presents a review of ...
Abstract: The current note responds to the critical contribution of Dr. Eastaugh on Chiesi et al.... more Abstract: The current note responds to the critical contribution of Dr. Eastaugh on Chiesi et al. (Chiesi et al. 2011). That paper did not aim at applying BIOME-BGC to simulate stand growth, which requires a thorough modification of the model functions. In contrast, only a parameter setting was changed in order to adjust the predicted carbon storages during the simulation of quasi-equilibrium conditions. The adjustment was calibrated on volume statistics derived from the Tuscany forest inventory and is suitable for regional scale applications.
Statistically-designed inventories and biodiversity monitoring programs are gaining relevance for... more Statistically-designed inventories and biodiversity monitoring programs are gaining relevance for biological conservation and natural resources management. Mandated periodic surveys provide unique opportunities to identify and satisfy natural resources management information needs. However, this is not an end in itself but rather is the beginning of a process that should lead to sound decision-making in biodiversity conservation. Forest inventories are currently evolving towards multipurpose resource surveys and are broadening their scope in several directions: (i) expansion of the target population to include non-traditional attributes such as trees outside the forest and urban forests; (ii) forest carbon pools and carbon sequestration estimation; (iii) assessment of forest health; and (iv) inclusion of additional variables such as biodiversity attributes that are not directly related to timber assessment and wood harvesting. There is an ongoing debate regarding the role of forest inventories in biodiversity assessment and monitoring. This paper presents a review on the topic that aims at providing updated knowledge on the current contribution of forest inventories to the assessment and monitoring of forest biodiversity conditions on a large scale. Specific objectives are fourfold: (i) to highlight the types of forest biodiversity indicators that can be estimated from data collected in the framework of standard forest inventories and the implications of different sampling methods on the estimation of the indicators; (ii) to outline current possibilities for harmonized estimation of biodiversity indicators in Europe from National Forest Inventory data; (iii) to show the added value for forest biodiversity monitoring of framing biodiversity indicators into ecologically meaningful forest type units; and (iv) to examine the potential of forest inventory sample data for estimating landscape biodiversity metrics.
Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is increasingly applied as a tool for extracting forest inventory d... more Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is increasingly applied as a tool for extracting forest inventory data. In recent years most applications for the assessment of forest standing volume rely on a single tree recognition approach, which generally gives satisfactory results in coniferous forests. The aim of this paper is to apply a rasterbased approach for the assessment of forest standing volume based on field measurements and a Digital Canopy Model (DCM) derived from ALS data. In addition, we explore the potential of hot spot analysis of DCM data for automatic forest gap detection, as a means to improve the accuracy of the estimation of forest standing volume by traditional estimation methods.
This paper describes applications of non-parametric and parametric methods for estimating forest ... more This paper describes applications of non-parametric and parametric methods for estimating forest growing stock volume using Landsat images on the basis of data measured in the field, integrated with ancillary information. Several k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) algorithm configurations were tested in two study areas in Italy belonging to Mediterranean and Alpine ecosystems. Field data were acquired by the regional forest inventory and forest management plans, and satellite images are from Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM+. The paper describes the data used, the methodologies adopted and the results achieved in terms of pixel level accuracy of forest growing stock volume estimates. The results show that several factors affect estimation accuracy when using the k-NN method. For the two test areas a total of 3500 different configurations of the k-NN algorithm were systematically tested by changing the number and type of spectral and ancillary input variables, type of multidimensional distance measures, number of nearest neighbors and methods for spectral feature extraction using the leave-one-out (LOO) procedure. The best k-NN configurations were then used for pixel level estimation; the accuracy was estimated with a bootstrapping procedure; and the results were compared to estimates obtained using parametric regression methods implemented on the same data set. The best k-NN growing stock volume pixel level estimates in the Alpine area have a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ranging between 74 and 96 m 3 ha − 1 (respectively, 22% and 28% of the mean measured value) and between 106 and 135 m 3 ha − 1 (respectively, 44% and 63% of the mean measured value) in the Mediterranean area. On the whole, the results cast a promising light on the use of non-parametric techniques for forest attribute estimation and mapping with accuracy high enough to support forest planning activities in such complex landscapes. The results of the LOO analyses also highlight the importance of a local empirical optimization phase of the k-NN procedure before defining the best algorithm configuration. In the tests performed the pixel level accuracy increased, depending on the k-NN configuration, as much as 100%.
The current paper describes the development and testing of a procedure which can use widely avail... more The current paper describes the development and testing of a procedure which can use widely available remotely sensed and ancillary data to assess large-scale patterns of forest productivity in Italy. To reach this objective a straightforward model (C-Fix) was applied which is based on the relationship between photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by plant canopies and relevant gross primary productivity (GPP). The original C-Fix methodology was improved by using more abundant ancillary information and more efficient techniques for NDVI data processing. In particular, two extraction methods were applied to NDVI data, derived from two sensors (NOAA-AVHRR and SPOT-VGT) to feed C-Fix. The accuracy of the model outputs was assessed through comparison with annual and monthly values of forest GPP derived from eight eddy covariance flux towers. The results obtained indicated the superiority of SPOT-VGT over NOAA-AVHRR data and a higher efficiency of the more advanced NDVI extraction method. Globally, the procedure was proved to be of easy and objective implementation and allowed the evaluation of mean productivity levels of existing forests on the national scale.
Urban areas are continuously expanding today, extending their influence on an increasingly large ... more Urban areas are continuously expanding today, extending their influence on an increasingly large proportion of woods and trees located in or nearby urban and urbanizing areas, the socalled urban forests. Although these forests have the potential for significantly improving the quality the urban environment and the well-being of the urban population, data to quantify the extent and characteristics of urban forests are still lacking or fragmentary on a large scale. In this regard, an expansion of the domain of multipurpose forest inventories like National Forest Inventories (NFIs) towards urban forests would be required.
This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright
... an operational forestry point of view it is adequate to discuss three scales: Single tree, st... more ... an operational forestry point of view it is adequate to discuss three scales: Single tree, stand and ... Whilst the forests provide an important resource for humans, they are a key repository of ... diver-sity; and the species, communities and ecosystems they form play a central role in the ...
The maintenance of certain levels of old forest represents a cornerstone of the EU's biodive... more The maintenance of certain levels of old forest represents a cornerstone of the EU's biodiversity management strategy. A consensus on a single general ecological definition of old‐growth is particularly difficult in Mediterranean Europe. The present paper deals with old‐growth forests and persistent woodlands in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (PNCVD) to give an ecological understanding of forest complexity and dynamics under a multiscale and multidisciplinary perspective. The multiscale approach ranged from the ...
Sustainable forest management (SFM) is presently widely accepted as the overriding objective for ... more Sustainable forest management (SFM) is presently widely accepted as the overriding objective for forest policy and practice. Regional processes are in progress all over the world to develop and implement criteria and indicators of SFM. In continental ...
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