Mapping, Remote Sensing, and GIS
Global Carbon Budget 2024Background“Global Carbon Budget 2024” assesses how anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions disrupt the global carbon cycle relative to pre-industrial conditions, when atmospheric CO2 was about 278 ppm in 1750. The study focuses on emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change and how these are partitioned between the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere. Recent changes, in the context of long-term trends since 1958, emphasize the role of deforestation, fossil fuel combustion, and climate variability, such as El Niño, in shaping CO2 fluxes. Open access copy available |
Decreasing landscape carbon storage in western US forests with 2 °C of warmingBackgroundThis study investigates how a 2°C increase in global mean temperature above pre-industrial levels could alter above-ground carbon storage in forests across the western United States, a region already experiencing climate-driven tree mortality, reduced regeneration, and more frequent fire and insect outbreaks. Forest carbon density is treated as a “carbon carrying capacity” controlled by climate and disturbance regimes, and there is concern that warming and drying will shift many areas towards lower carbon forest or non-forest states, with implications for climate mitigation and carbon offset projects. Open access copy available |
Global, multi-scale standing deadwood segmentation in centimeter-scale aerial imagesBackgroundThis article examines how increasing tree mortality worldwide creates an urgent need for efficient approaches to map standing deadwood, including both fully dead crowns and partial canopy dieback, as a basis for monitoring forest dieback and informing management across biomes. Existing remote-sensing methods using RGB aerial imagery often work only for specific regions, resolutions, or forest types, limiting their transferability and value for global applications. Open access copy available |
Resilience to Hurricanes is High in Mangrove Blue Carbon ForestsBackgroundWhile many anthropogenic forces threaten the survival of mangrove forests, tropical storms are the most significant non-anthropogenic sources of disturbance. Since mangroves are important carbon sinks, it is important to understand the impacts of tropical storms on mangrove forest structure, function, and carbon stock recovery. Open access copy available |
Remote sensing-based mangrove blue carbon assessment in the Asia-Pacific: A systematic reviewBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Bridging conservation and policy: evaluating national targets to reduce mangrove loss under the Kunming–Montreal biodiversity frameworkBackgroundThis research examines the alignment between the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets and national efforts to halt mangrove loss. Under the Convention on Biological Diversity, GBF’s Targets 1 and 3 aim to reduce habitat loss and expand protected areas to conserve 30% of critical ecosystems by 2030. Mangroves, vital for biodiversity, carbon storage, and coastal protection, continue to experience degradation due to both human and natural drivers. Despite partial success in global mangrove protection, national policies often fail to address underlying drivers of degradation or incorporate specific, measurable conservation actions. Open access copy available |
The enduring world forest carbon sinkBackgroundForests are critical to mitigating climate change because they absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and store it in biomass and soils. In 2023, atmospheric CO₂ levels exceeded 420 ppm, intensifying the urgency to understand terrestrial carbon sinks. Forests historically lost 180 Pg of carbon through land-use change, yet they remain central to achieving global net-zero goals by 2050. While remote sensing and modeling offer insights, this study emphasizes long-term, ground-based forest inventory data as the most reliable source for assessing trends in carbon sinks across boreal, temperate, and tropical forest biomes. Open access copy available |
The changing global carbon cycle: linking plant–soil carbon dynamics to global consequencesBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Addressing critiques refines global estimates of reforestation potential for climate change mitigationBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Putting seedlings on the map: Trade‐offs in demographic rates between ontogenetic size classes in five tropical forestsBACKGROUND:The study examines tropical forests in regions such as Panama, Puerto Rico, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Ecuador, which are characterized by their high biodiversity and significant environmental challenges like cyclonic storms. These forests are ideal for investigating demographic trade-offs due to their diverse coexisting tree species that align along growth, survival, and stature recruitment axes. The forests have experienced varying levels of disturbance from natural events, making them unique examples for studying tree species’ life-history strategies and the mechanisms that facilitate species coexistence. Available with subscription or purchase |
