Remote sensing of vegetation structure, composition and health

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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.