Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Remote Sensing of Forest Structure and Environmental ChangeSatellite remote sensing imagery of the Earth provides critical information that is comprehensive, objective, repeatable and applicable over large areas and different times for detecting and monitoring environmental change. This research is providing key information on natural resources that drive Canada's resource-based economy. These sectors and areas include forestry and agriculture, as well as for mountains and large watersheds. Forestry and agriculture are a central focus of this proposal and are important parts of Canada's environment, economy, and culture. In Canada, well over half the country's biospheric carbon is contained in these areas. Carbon is a principal component of several atmospheric gases associated with climate change. Vegetation removes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere to grow, and later releases it through disturbance, harvesting, fire, logging, and normal mortality cycles. In this research, satellite imagery is used to obtain biophysical parameters related to carbon stocks using innovative, physically-based analyses and modeling. Forestry work involves canopy reflectance modeling in both boreal and mountain forests, which is now expanding to Canada's north. Forest disturbance such as mountain pine beetle and forest fires are a focus of this work, with implications to large areas of Canada. Agricultural research will focus on improved vegetation dynamics modeling using spectral mixture analysis, as well as remote sensing of weeds related to vegetation stress and drought. Water research will investigate hydrological inputs from major Rocky Mountain watersheds that supply water to large cities as well as for resource use. This research will include collaboration with CFS, AAFC, NASA, AIWR, Cybera Inc. and potentially TecTerra/IRM. Significant training of highly qualified personnel will be achieved.