Remote sensing of vegetation structure, composition and health

自然和人为干扰造成的景观变化极大地影响到森林和湿地的丰度和空间结构，而这又影响到物理过程（例如气候、水文）和植物群和动物群的生境。 这项研究的目标是开发遥感和地理空间方法，以便在各种空间和时间尺度上对森林和湿地进行测绘和监测。 在东安大略景观干扰的生态响应滞后的研究正在卡尔顿地理和景观生态实验室内启动。 作为这项工作的一部分，提议开展以下项目：综合利用存档和现有的地理空间数据，评价该区域过去50年的土地覆盖变化;发展绘制当地和区域湿地植被图的能力;评价道路开发对生境的影响;以及制定改进生物多样性指标的绘图和监测的手段，以帮助实现该区域的土地管理目标。 其中每一个都将包括用机载或卫星传感器获得的高到中等分辨率的图像。研究结果将与我的合作者对景观破碎化和干扰对物种种群动态的影响的研究相联系。森林管理研究将在两个环境中进行：受保护的加蒂诺公园和为木材产品而管理的森林。在加蒂诺公园，将制定方法，绘制当地生物多样性地图，监测森林结构和健康状况的时间变化，并综合光学、激光雷达和雷达数据，绘制森林地图。 在安大略东部和魁北克南部的私人林地，将制定监测干扰和管理影响的方法。这两个项目将与两个渥太华地区的飞机和照片公司合作，使用塞斯纳172飞机和定制设计的门与吊舱和相机安装。 在北方森林采伐方面，将改进上一个赠款期开发的自动更新评估方法，并与工业伙伴一起在试点研究中实施。

Landscape change from natural and anthropogenic disturbance greatly affects the abundance and spatial configuration of forests and wetlands, which in turn impact physical processes (e.g. climate, hydrology) and habitat for flora and fauna.  The goal of this research is to develop remote sensing and geo-spatial methods for mapping and monitoring forests and wetlands at a variety of spatial and temporal scales.  Research on ecological response lags to landscape disturbance in Eastern Ontario is being initiated within the Carleton Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Laboratory.  As part of this, the following projects are proposed: Evaluate land cover change over the region in the past 50 years using a combination of archived and current geo-spatial data; Develop capabilities for local and regional wetland vegetation mapping; Evaluate the impact of road development on habitat; and Develop means to improve mapping and monitoring of biodiversity indicators to aid land management objectives in the region.  Each of these will include high to moderate resolution imagery acquired with airborne or satellite sensors. Results will be linked to the research of my collaborators on impacts of landscape fragmentation and disturbance on species population dynamics. Research in forest management will be conducted in two settings: the protected Gatineau Park and forests managed for wood products. In the Gatineau Park, methods will be developed for local biodiversity mapping, forest structure and health temporal change monitoring, and integration of optical, lidar and radar data for forest mapping.  In private woodlots in eastern Ontario and southern Quebec, methods for monitoring disturbance and management impacts will be developed. These two projects will be in collaboration with two Ottawa area aircraft and photo companies using Cessna 172 aircraft and a custom designed door with pod and camera mount.  In boreal forest cutovers, automated regeneration assessment methods developed in the last grant period will be refined and implemented in pilot studies with industrial partners.