Tropical-Forest Biomass Dynamics from X-Band, TanDEM-X DATA

Abstract:

The measurement of the change in above ground biomass (AGB) is key for understanding the carbon sink/source nature of tropical forests. Interferometric X-band radar from the only orbiting interferometer, TanDEM-X, shows sensitivity to standing biomass up to at least 300 Mg/ha. This sensitivity may be due in part to the propagation of the shorter X-band wavelength (0.031 m) through holes in the canopy. This talk focuses on estimating the change in AGB over time. Interferometric baselines from TanDEM-X have been obtained in Tapajós National Forest in the Brazilian Amazon over a 4-year period, from 2011 to 2015. Lidar measurements were also acquired during this period. Field measurements of height, height-to-base-of-crown, species, diameter, and position were acquired in 2010, 2013, and 2015. We show interferometric phase height changes, and suggest how these phase height changes are related to biomass change. First we show height changes between baselines separated by one month, over which we expect no change in AGB, to evaluate precision. We find an RMS of <2 m for ~85 stands in the phase height over one month, corresponding to about a 10% measurement of change, which suggests we can detect about a 17 Mg/ha change in AGB at Tapajos. In contrast, interferometric height changes over the period 2011 to 2014 have larger RMS scatters of > 3 m, due to actual change. Most stands show changes in interferometric phase height consistent with regrowth (~10 Mg/ha/yr), and several stands show abrupt, large changes in phase height (>10 m) due to logging and natural disturbance. At the end of 2015, we will acquire more TanDEM-X data over Tapajos, including an area subjected to selective logging. We are doing “before” (March 2015) and “after” (October 2015) fieldwork to be able to understand the signature of change due to selective logging in TanDEM-X interferometric data.