Quantifying interactions between topographic variability and forest structure.

自19世纪末以来，生态学在影响景观动态方面的作用已经得到承认，但事实证明，将生态因素充分纳入景观模型是难以捉摸的。地貌和生态研究之间的差异导致了对泥沙输送过程的概括，而不是反映自然系统。随着影响全球森林的气候压力增加，有必要弥补我们在了解森林结构和景观反应方面的这些差距。气温升高、严重干旱和水资源有限等因素正在改变森林的功能组成、树木死亡率、物种组成和最大树高，进而影响山坡的稳定性和土壤生产率。最近遥感技术和数据处理的进步使地上森林结构、功能多样性和个体树木形态的评估发生了革命性的变化。陆地激光扫描(TLS)提供了树枝和树冠结构的高度详细的三维表示和地形图，揭示了微地形的细微变化。这项博士研究旨在通过研究生态系统功能在山坡泥沙运输中的作用来弥合地貌和生态研究之间的差距。利用欧洲现有的生态TLS数据集，将评估气候环境和森林功能多样性之间的关系，以开发新的树木抛掷引起的沉积物输送的数值模型。

Ecology's role in influencing landscape dynamics has been acknowledged since the late 19th century, yet adequately incorporating ecological factors into landscape models has proved elusive. Discrepancies between geomorphic and ecological research have resulted in generalisations of sediment transport processes that do not reflect natural systems. With increased climatic pressures affecting global forests, addressing these gaps in our understanding of forest structure and landscape response is necessary. Factors such as increasing temperatures, intense droughts, and limited water availability are changing forest functional composition, tree mortality, species composition, and maximum tree height, which in turn influences hillslope stability and soil production rates.Recent advances in remote sensing technologies and data processing have revolutionised the assessment of above-ground forest structure, functional diversity, and individual tree morphology. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) provides highly detailed three-dimensional representations of branch and canopy structures and terrain maps that reveal subtle variations in micro-topography.This PhD research aims to bridge the gap between geomorphological and ecological research by examining the role of ecosystem functioning in hillslope sediment transport. Using existing ecological TLS datasets from Europe, the relationships between climatic settings and forest functional diversity will be assessed to develop new numerical models of tree throw-induced sediment transport.