Mapping genetic and phylogenetic diversity of a temperate forest using remote sensing based upscaling methods

Abstract:

Functioning and resilience of forest ecosystems under environmental pressures increases when biodiversity at genetic, species, canopy and ecosystem level is higher. Therefore mapping and monitoring diversity becomes a necessity to assess changes in ecosystems and understanding their consequences. Diversity can be assessed by using different metrics, such as diversity of functional traits or genetic diversity amongst others. In-situ approaches have provided useful, but usually spatially constrained information, often dependent on expert knowledge. We propose using remote sensing in combination with in-situ sampling at different spatial scales.

We map phylogenetic and genetic diversity using airborne imaging spectroscopy in combination with terrestrial and airborne laser scanning, as well as exhaustive in-situ sampling schemes. To this end, we propose to link leaf optical properties using a taxonomic approach (spectranomics) to genetic and phylogenetic diversity.

The test site is a managed mixed temperate forest on the south-facing slope of Laegern Mountain, Switzerland (47°28'42.0“ N, 8°21'51.8“ E, 682 m.a.s.l.). The intensive sampling area is roughly 300m x 300m and dominant species are European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Ash (Fraxinus excelsior).

We perform phylogenetic and intraspecific genetic variation analyses for the five most dominant tree species at the test site. For these species, information on functional biochemical and architectural plant traits diversity is retrieved from imaging spectroscopy and laser scanning data and validated with laboratory and in-situ measurements.

To assess regional-scale genetic diversity, the phylogenetic and genetic signals are quantified using the remote sensing data, resulting in spatially distributed intra-specific genetic variation.

We discuss the usefulness of combined remote sensing and in-situ sampling, to bridge diversity scales from genetic to canopy level.