Jin Wu1, Neill Prohaska1, Kenia T. Wiedemann1,2, Loren P. Albert1, Alfredo R. Huete3*, and Scott R. Saleska1*

Observing canopy demography of a tropical moist forest with spectral unmixing of

hyperspectral images: a model of HyspIRI science application

Email Contact: jinwu@email.arizona.edu or saleska@email.arizona.edu

(1: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona; 2: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University; 3: Plant Functional Biology & Climate

Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney)

*: Corresponding Authors

Outline of the Talk

1: Motivation—leaf demography matters ecological processes of forest systems

2: Methodology—remote sensing perspective of demography

3: Case study from a tower mounted hyperspectral vegetation imaging system in a tropical moist forest system

4: Inference to HyspIRI study

MotivationPhotosynthesis is one of the most important features that define

environment-vegetation interaction

O2 CO2, H2O

Motivation

O2 CO2, H2O

Both environments and phenology are important controls on plant photosynthesis; Phenology includes Seasonality of LAI and Demography

Soil Moisture

Nutrients

Environments

Leaf Area Index

Canopy leaf average physiology

Phenology

Motivation

Soil Moisture

Nutrients

Leaf Area Index

CO2, H2O, O2

Canopy leaf average physiology

Environments Phenology

Both environments and phenology are important controls on plant photosynthesis; Phenology includes Seasonality of LAI and Demography

Motivation

Photosynthesis and Photosynthesis Seasonality

Soil Moisture

Nutrients

Leaf Area Index

CO2, H2O, O2

Canopy leaf average physiology

Environments Phenology

Both environments and phenology are important controls on plant photosynthesis; Phenology includes Seasonality of LAI and Demography

Motivation (cont..)Deciduous Forests & Evergreen Tropical Forests

Deciduous Broadleaf Forest, Takayama, Japan

Muraoka et al. 2010. J Plant Research

Motivation (cont..)Deciduous Forests & Evergreen Tropical Forests

Deciduous Broadleaf Forest, Takayama, Japan

Muraoka et al. 2010. J Plant Research

Albert & Wu. 1-m Branch Sample from Uxi Lista, 08/24/2012.

Y YM M O0

40

80

120

Vcm

ax (u

mol

/m2/

s)

Albert et al. In Preparation

Leaf Age

Tapajos National Primary Forest, Para, Brazil

Motivation (cont..)Deciduous Forests & Evergreen Tropical Forests

Deciduous Broadleaf Forest, Takayama, Japan

Muraoka et al. 2010. J Plant Research

Albert & Wu. 1-m Branch Sample from Uxi Lista, 08/24/2012.

Y YM M O0

40

80

120

Vcm

ax (u

mol

/m2/

s)

Albert et al. In Preparation

Leaf Age

Tapajos National Primary Forest, Para, Brazil

Leaf amount seasonality and demography seasonality are both important to tropical photosynthesis processes

Model perspective of tropical photosynthesis seasonality

ED: Ecosystem Demographic Model

Restrepo-Coupe et al. (In Review)

IBIS: the Integrated Biosphere Simulator

CLM: the NCAR Community Land Model

JULES: the joint UK Land Environment Simulator

Motivation (cont..)

Key Mechanisms are missing in the models

Model perspective of tropical photosynthesis seasonality

ED: Ecosystem Demographic Model

Restrepo-Coupe et al. (In Review)

IBIS: the Integrated Biosphere Simulator

CLM: the NCAR Community Land Model

JULES: the joint UK Land Environment Simulator

Motivation (cont..)

Key Mechanisms are missing in the models

Albert & Wu. 1-m Branch Sample from Uxi Lista, 08/24/2012.

(1) Leaf demography is an important component of leaf phenology;(2) Leaf demography is especially important for tropical forest photosynthesis processes; (3) currently, there is still lacking study on tropical demography

Methodology: Leaf demography

Field methods(1) leaf level—tagging leaves and revisiting; (2) canopy level—regular harvesting branch sample and conducting demographic survey

Remote sensing methodsSeasonal RGB Images of a deciduous forest (Bartlett Forest, USA) in 2008

Richardson. 2010. Dublin Land Product Validation Subgroup.

How about evergreen tropical forests?

Case Study: TNF-KM67, Para, Brazil

mon

ths

10

0

-10

-20

-50-60-70-80

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

TNF-KM67

Monthly Precipitation (TRMM) <100 mm

Study Site: Tapajos National Primary Forest, KM67 site (TNF-KM67), Para, Brazil

B. RGB Image

A. SOC Camera C. SOC Composited Image

Key parameters:* Spectral resolution: 4nm, 128 bands from 385nm to 1050 nm* Field of view: 36×27 degree* Temporal resolution: image/10 minutes, July-December, 2012

Tree #/Name

Nome Científico Família

Tr# 9 Erisma uncinatum Warm. Vochysiaceae

Tr# 11 Ocotea sp. Lauraceae

Tr# 118 Tachigali eriopetala (Ducke) L.G.Silva &

H.C.Lima

Leguminosae-Caesalp.

Tr# 500 Manilkara huberi (Ducke) A.Chev.

Sapotaceae

Tr# 504 Coussarea paniculata (Vahl) Standl. Rubiaceae

Sap Flow Tree

Chamaecrista scleroxylon (Ducke) H.S.Irwin & Barneby

Leguminosae-Caesalp.

2012 Fall Phenology Campaign (Saleska Lab, UofA)

* 6 focal trees+14 understory trees were selected; * samples were collected in the early, middle, and late of dry season (Mid-Aug to Early-Dec)

Case Study (cont..)

Case Study (cont..)

Bud scars Young Leaves Old Leaves

• Collected one meter branches multiple times throughout the dry season.

• Branches from sun and shade microenvironments within the trees.

• Counted young, mature and old leaves on sampled branches.

Leaf demography survey

Ecosystem Level Leaf Demography

Case Study (cont..)

Ecosystem Level Leaf Demography

Inference to HyspIRI Study

AcknowledgmentsSensor Calibration and Discussion William van Leeuwen (UofA)Nikolaus Anderson (UofA)Stuart Biggar (UofA)David J. Moore (UofA)Joost van Haren (UofA)

Field Work & Help Cecilia Chavana-Bryant (Oxford U)Mick Eltringham (UK)Kleber Silva Campos (UFOPA)Marielle Smith (UofA)Ty Taylor (UofA)Scott Stark (MSU)

Brad Christofferson (Uof Edinburgh)

Rodrigo da Silva (UFOPA)Raimundo Cosme Oliveiera (UFOPA)Steve Bissell (US)

FundingAmazon-PIRENANA Terrestrial Ecology Program

Photo Credit: Neill Prohaska