Integrated framework to monitor forest structure and function with multi-source remote sensing

In the past few decades, great advances have been made in remote sensing techniques and their applications to vegetation monitoring. Exciting recent developments of ground- and tower-based remote sensing techniques include solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) for monitoring photosynthesis, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) for capturing the three-dimensional canopy structure, thermal imaging for monitoring canopy temperature, and hyperspectral remote sensing for retrieving various plant traits. Combination of these techniques may provide a more comprehensive picture of vegetation traits and functions, but this potential has rarely been explored as the measurements are usually not available for the same site. Here we present synergistic observations of the seasonal variations of SIF, canopy temperature, canopy structure, and hyperspectral spectra (400-900 nm), along with auxiliary sap flow and eddy covariance measurements in a mixed forest in central Virginia, United States. We then explore several integrations among these measurements. Lastly, we present an analysis of the structural and physiological responses of SIF and vegetation reflectance.