激光雷达在森林生态系统监测模拟中的应用现状与展望

激光雷达是一种新兴的主动遥感技术,能够在多重时空尺度上获取森林生态系统高分辨率的三维地形、植被结构参数.其对森林生态系统变化的精确、高效监测和模拟在认识这些变化如何影响陆地生态系统碳循环、全球气候变化,并促进生物多样性保护方面将发挥重要作用.本文拟对激光雷达技术的概念和发展应用简史作一介绍,通过分析其在数字地形产品生成、森林生态参数提取反演应用中的主流算法和优势,继而阐明其推广应用所面临的挑战,最后指出未来激光雷达技术在生态学应用中可能的研究热点.本文认为,构建集太空、天空、地面多源传感器于一体的数字生态系统是未来生态系统观测网络发展的必然趋势,而激光雷达技术能够在数字生态系统建设过程中搭建可靠的数据支撑体系,最终有助于决策部门调控、优化人与环境关系,实现二者和谐共存.

Perspectives and prospects of LiDAR in forest ecosystem monitoring and modeling

Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) is an active remote sensing technology for acquiring high resolution 3D terrain and vegetation structure parameters over multiple tempo-spatial scales, which can help to accurately monitor and model forest ecosystem dynamics. Consequently it plays an important role in understanding the impact of such dynamics on the carbon cycle and global climate change, and promoting biodiversity conservation. In this paper, we review the concepts and recent developments of LiDAR and explore the application of LiDAR in generating terrain models (e.g. digital elevation and digital surface models) and retrieving forest biophysical parameters (e.g. individual tree locations, leaf area index, volumes, biomass and carbon stocks). Finally, we present challenges for LiDAR in forestry applications, and suggest three major research issues for future study. We believe that there is an inevitable trend to constructing a digital ecosystem research network via combining spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based sensor measurements in an integrated platform, where LiDAR can provide an accurate and efficient solution for capturing 3D environmental variables. Thus, LiDAR will contribute to improving the relationship between man and nature in decision-making processes and eventually realizing a harmonious coexistence.