Enabling Continental-Scale Analysis of Vegetation Foliar Traits through Consistent Sampling and Analysis Protocols
Abstract
The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental-scale ecological observation platform designed to collect and disseminate data that contributes to understanding and forecasting the impacts of climate change, land use change, and invasive species on ecology. NEON will collect in-situ and airborne data over 60 sites across the US, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The NEON vegetation sampling protocol currently directs the collection of foliar samples from dominant species at each site; field spectra are collected from the samples that are further analyzed for bulk and isotopic carbon and nitrogen content. Through employment of consistent sampling and analysis strategies, NEON will provide a unique, rich, and varied data collection to support studies of foliar traits within species at specific sites and across/between regions. When combined with the NEON airborne hyperspectral and LiDAR imagery, these data will be key to support validation efforts of existing algorithms for deriving canopy scale nitrogen, carbon and other foliar traits, as well as supporting development of data products that are informed by - and include - the ground data specifically, thereby potentially reducing uncertainties in the observational data products. Presented here are prototype datasets collected at NEON Domain 1 (Harvard Forest, summer 2012) and Domain 17 (San Joaquin Experiment Range, summer 2013). Lessons-learned from the field campaigns are discussed, along with preliminary results from the Harvard Forest campaign, which combine the field and the laboratory data in support of current algorithm validation efforts. Extension of these protocols to future NEON Domain characterization activities is also presented.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFM.B51M..03P
- Keywords:
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- 0480 BIOGEOSCIENCES Remote sensing