Evaluation of the potential of MODIS satellite data to predict vegetation phenology in different biomes: An investigation using ground-based NDVI measurements

in Remote Sensing of Environment (2013), (132), 145-158

Vegetation phenology is the st udy of the timing of seasonal events that are considered to be the result of adaptive responses to climate variations on short and long time scales. In the field of remote ... [more ▼]

Vegetation phenology is the st udy of the timing of seasonal events that are considered to be the result of adaptive responses to climate variations on short and long time scales. In the field of remote sensing of vegetation phenology, phenologicalmetrics are derived fromtime series of optical data. For that purpose, considerable effort has been specifically focused on developing noise reduction and cloud-contaminated data removal techniques to improve the quality of remotely-sensed time series. Comparative studies between time series composed of satellite data acquired under clear and cloudy conditions and fromradiometric data obtainedwith high accuracy fromground-basedmeasurements constitute a direct and effective way to assess the operational use and limitations of remote sensing for predicting the main plant phenological events. In the present paper, we sought to explicitly evaluate the potential use of MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing data for monitoring the seasonal dynamics of different types of vegetation cover that are representative of the major terrestrial biomes, including temperate deciduous forests, evergreen forests, African savannah, and crops. After cloud screening and filtering, we compared the temporal patterns and phenological metrics derived from in situ NDVI time series and from MODIS daily and 16-composite products. We also evaluated the effects of residual noise and the in uence of data gaps in MODIS NDVI time series on the identification of the most relevant metrics for vegetation phenology monitoring. The results show that the in exion points of a model fitted to a MODIS NDVI time series allow accurate estimates of the onset of greenness in the spring and the onset of yellowing in the autumn in deciduous forests (RMSE<oneweek). Phenologicalmetrics identical to those providedwith theMODIS Global Vegetation Phenology product (MDC12Q2) are less robust to data gaps, and they can be subject to large biases of approximately twoweeks or more during the autumn phenological transitions. In the evergreen forests, in situ NDVI time series describe the phenology with high fidelity despite small temporal changes in the canopy foliage. However, MODIS is unable to provide consistent phenological patterns. In crops and savannah, MODIS NDVI time series reproduce the general temporal patterns of phenology, but significant discrepancies appear between MODIS and ground-based NDVI time series during very localized periods of time depending on the weather conditions and spatial heterogeneity within the MODIS pixel. In the rainforest, the temporal pattern exhibited by a MODIS 16-day composite NDVI time series ismore likely due to a pattern of noise in the NDVI data structure according to both rainy and dry seasons rather than to phenological changes. More investigations are needed, but in all cases, this result leads us to conclude that MODIS time series in tropical rainforests should be interpreted with great caution. [less ▲]

Climate control of terrestrial carbon exchange across biomes and continents

in Environmental Research Letters (2010), 5(3),

Understanding the relationships between climate and carbon exchange by terrestrial ecosystems is critical to predict future levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide because of the potential accelerating ... [more ▼]

Understanding the relationships between climate and carbon exchange by terrestrial ecosystems is critical to predict future levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide because of the potential accelerating effects of positive climate-carbon cycle feedbacks. However, directly observed relationships between climate and terrestrial CO2 exchange with the atmosphere across biomes and continents are lacking. Here we present data describing the relationships between net ecosystem exchange of carbon (NEE) and climate factors as measured using the eddy covariance method at 125 unique sites in various ecosystems over six continents with a total of 559 site-years. We find that NEE observed at eddy covariance sites is (1) a strong function of mean annual temperature at mid-and high-latitudes, (2) a strong function of dryness at mid-and low-latitudes, and (3) a function of both temperature and dryness around the mid-latitudinal belt (45 degrees N). The sensitivity of NEE to mean annual temperature breaks down at similar to 16 degrees C (a threshold value of mean annual temperature), above which no further increase of CO2 uptake with temperature was observed and dryness influence overrules temperature influence. [less ▲]

Cross-calibration functions for soil CO2 efflux measurement systems

in Annals of Forest Science : a Multidisciplinary and International Journal (2006), 63(5), 477-484

Different soil CO2 efflux measurement systems and methodologies were used to estimate the annual soil respiration of different forest sites. To allow comparison between these annual values, this study ... [more ▼]

Different soil CO2 efflux measurement systems and methodologies were used to estimate the annual soil respiration of different forest sites. To allow comparison between these annual values, this study aimed to cross-calibrate five soil CO2 efflux (RS) closed dynamic chamber systems, and compare the in situ measurement methodologies. We first assessed the impact of the measurement methodology on RS by studying the effects of three parameters: record duration, time lag before starting to record and the mode of chamber-soil contact (use of collars or insertion of the chambers into the soil). Secondly, we directly compared systems with identical methodology during field measurements on three forest sites. We observed a significant influence of the chamber-soil contact mode (no impact of the record duration and duration before starting to record). Measurements obtained by insertion led to significantly higher estimates of RS than those obtained using collars (up to 28%). Our inter-comparison showed that deviations existing between in situ measurements performed with the different systems were partly systematic and could be corrected using simple linear equations. Measurements of pressure difference between the inside and the outside of soil chambers allowed explaining a part of the observed deviations between systems. Finally, we assessed the influence of the cross-calibration equations on annual respiration of two beech forest soils. [less ▲]

Energy Partitioning Between Latent And Sensible Heat Flux During The Warm Season At Fluxnet Sites

in Water Resources Research (2002), 38(12),