A Forest Biomass Survey by Bitterlich Method With an Electronic Relascope for Satellite Data Validation

For the better understanding of the carbon cycle in the global ecosystem, an investigation on the spatio- temporal variation of the carbon stock which is stored as vegetation biomass should be important. "PALSAR (Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar)", an onboard sensor of the polar orbiting satellite "ALOS (Advanced Land Observing Satellite)" launched in January 2006, provides the information which can be used for the above-ground biomass estimation. It is expected that ALOS/PALSAR provides us a great opportunity to analyze the biomass dynamics over extensive regions. To derive the biomass from the ALOS/PALSAR measurement, it is inevitable to acquire in situ biomass measurement by ground-based forest surveys. Moreover, it is required to obtain such ground-based information at as possible many sites, because the region targeted by satellite remote sensing is extensive and the forest structure in that region is various. Therefore, a quick forest survey will be required to measure the biomass at as possible many sites. For the quick measurement of the forest above-ground biomass, we propose a way that is a combination of Bitterlich angle count sampling method and sampled-tree measuring method. First, a tree which has wider trunk than the basal area factor (BAF) angle is identified by the relascope from a representative point in the target forest. Next, the tree height and the breast height diameter (DBH) of the sampled tree are measured. The biomass of the tree is estimate by the allometric equation with the tree height and DBH measurements. Through these processes, the biomass density of the sampled tree per the forest area defined by the BAF is estimated. By sampling and measuring all trees (usually around 20 trees), the biomass of the forest can be estimate. A brand-new electronic relascope (Criterion RD 1000, Laser Technology Inc.) and laser range finder (TruPulse 200, Laser Technology Inc.) are used for the tree height and DBH measurements to shorten the time required for measuring. A preliminary forest survey was conducted in a Pinus densiflora forest around Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan, and examined the adaptability of this way.