Alternative methods for assessing and monitoring mangrove forests

红树林被认为是世界上最具生产力的生态系统之一，不仅为陆地和海洋食物网提供服务，而且对于热带沿海地区的边缘化人民来说，红树林是当地必不可少的可再生资源，也是抵御海啸、海平面上升和风暴潮的屏障。然而，这些森林湿地的年损失率超过了陆地热带雨林。对这些森林的保护的一个主要限制是无法收到关于许多这些森林的范围和状况的最新资料。因此，我建议研究的一个重点是评估新的星载传感器，包括加拿大的Radatsat-2，是否可以用来从这些林分中提取重要的生物物理参数数据（例如树高、树密度、生物量）。这些雷达卫星能够在夜间和云层中成像，现在配备了传感器，这可能是第一次能够在准永久云覆盖地区对红树林进行高度精确的测绘。红树林流失的主要原因之一是高地引水工程（例如水坝）。因此，我还打算利用历史原位数据和卫星数据，对世界上最大的两条河流及其红树林不断变化的水文数据之间的关系进行建模。

Mangroves are considered one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, serving both terrestrial and marine food webs as well as acting, for marginalized peoples of tropical coasts, as an essential local renewable resource and barrier against tsunamis, sea-level rise and storm surges. However, these forested wetlands are experiencing annual rates of loss that exceed that of terrestrial tropical rainforests. One main limitation to their protection is the inability to receive updated information regarding the extent and condition of many of these forests. Consequently, a focus of my proposed research is to assess whether new space-borne sensors, including Canada's Radatsat-2, can be used to extract vital biophysical parameter data (e.g. tree height, tree density, biomass) from these stands. Able to image at night and through clouds, these radar satellite are now equipped with sensors that could possibly, for the first time, allow highly accurate mapping of mangroves in quasi-permanent cloud covered regions. One of the major causes of mangrove loss is upland water diversion projects (e.g. dams). Consequently, I also intend to model relationships between changing hydrological data for two of the world's largest rivers and their mangrove forests using historical in situ and satellite data.