Using new Earth observation and computational approaches to map dry forests and their carbon dynamics across the tropics

背景和动机：旨在绘制森林分布和碳储存图的地球观测方法在热带潮湿森林中通常是成功的，但在热带干燥森林中则不太成功。热带干燥森林个头较短，可能没有封闭的树冠，因此经常在遥感图像和产品中与树木稀树草原混淆(Beuchle等人)。2015年)。然而，了解热带干燥森林与热带稀树草原的分布和相对范围对于了解干燥热带的碳循环和制定适当的热带植被管理战略是至关重要的(Dexter等人。2018年)。热带干燥森林比热带稀树草原储存更多的地上碳，而火灾正在破坏热带干燥森林及其碳储存能力。相比之下，火对于稀树草原的生态系统功能和生物多样性是必要的。该项目将改善干旱热带的生态系统管理，并量化干旱热带在全球碳循环中的作用。

Background and Motivation: Earth observation approaches that aim to map the distribution and carbon storage of forests are generally successful for tropical moist forests, but have been less so for tropical dry forests. Tropical dry forests are shorter in stature and may not have a closed canopy, and are thus frequently confused with wooded savannas in remotely sensed imagery and products (Beuchle et al. 2015). Yet, knowing the distribution and relative extent of tropical dry forests versus savannas is imperative to understanding the carbon cycle of the dry tropics and to develop appropriate management strategies for tropical vegetation (Dexter et al. 2018). Tropical dry forests store more above-ground carbon than savannas, while fire is damaging to tropical dry forests and their carbon storage ability. In contrast, fire is necessary to the ecosystem function and biodiversity of savannas. This project will improve ecosystem management in the dry tropics and quantify the role of the dry tropics in global carbon cycles.