Remote Sensing of Vegetation Types, Productivity and Change in the Canadian High Arctic

加拿大高北极植被类型、生产力和变化的遥感

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-04151
• 负责人: Treitz, Paul
• 金额: $ 2.62万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=754831
• 关键词: Remote; Sensing; Vegetation; Types; Productivity

Arctic ecosystems are critically important systems to study within the context of global climate and environmental change. However, due to its remoteness and logistical challenges, research on Arctic vegetation condition remains largely understudied. Arctic ecosystems cover approximately 5 million km2 globally, with almost half of this spatial extent falling within Canada's sovereignty (i.e., 2.4 million km2). Scientists have determined that the strongest signals of climate change are being observed in the Arctic (i.e., at high latitudes). This warming will have widespread and diverse impacts on Arctic vegetation; i.e., plant growth will increase and differentially affect species abundance, biodiversity and reproductive success, thereby changing community boundaries, composition and overall ecosystem processes. Satellite remote sensing data provides an opportunity to estimate and monitor vegetation. However, there has been limited research conducted in the Canadian Arctic on characterizing vegetation types and modelling biophysical variables using high spatial resolution remote sensing data (<10 m); nor how these are linked to ecosystem processes (e.g., carbon flux/net ecosystem exchange). This research requires detailed in situ studies to calibrate and validate appropriate remote sensing models to estimate these variables at high spatial resolutions. My research will develop remote sensing methods to classify vegetation types of ecological significance, quantify vegetation biophysical properties (i.e., percent cover, carbon exchange) and link these measures across scales to examine vegetation/landscape response spatially and temporally. In 2017, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program reported that "The Arctic's climate is shifting to a new state." and that "Climate change in the Arctic has continued at a rapid pace." In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that warming in the Arctic is, and will continue to be, two to three times higher than the global average. With clear evidence of warming in the Arctic, Canada has the potential to be a leader in evaluating the impacts of warming on diverse Arctic ecosystems. The results of my research will enable our ability to assess environmental change across Arctic terrestrial ecosystems and estimate future feedback scenarios. This research will help us inform development decisions and adaptation strategies for communities and resource industries living and operating in Canada's North. Over the five year granting period, I will train 3 PhD candidates, 4 MSc candidates and 3 BSc (Hons) students who will conduct research in the Canadian High Arctic, thereby contributing to the next generation of Arctic scientists and practitioners specifically trained in Arctic field methods, remote sensing image processing and spatial data analysis. My research will provide methods for monitoring the response of Arctic terrestrial ecosystems and terrain to a shifting climate condition.

北极生态系统是在全球气候和环境变化背景下研究的至关重要的系统。但是，由于其偏远和后勤挑战，对北极植被状况的研究仍然在很大程度上进行了研究。北极生态系统在全球范围内约为500万公里，几乎一半的空间范围属于加拿大的主权（即240万公里）。科学家已经确定，在北极（即高纬度）中观察到气候变化的最强信号。这种变暖将对北极植被产生广泛的影响；即，植物生长将增加并差异化物种丰度，生物多样性和生殖成功，从而改变社区界限，组成和整体生态系统过程。卫星遥感数据为估计和监测植被提供了机会。但是，在加拿大北极进行了有限的研究，以表征植被类型和使用高空间分辨率遥感数据（<10 m）对生物物理变量进行建模；这些都不与生态系统过程（例如碳/净生态系统交换）相关联。这项研究需要详细的原位研究来校准和验证适当的遥感模型，以在高空间分辨率下估计这些变量。我的研究将开发遥感方法，以对生态意义的植被类型进行分类，量化植被生物物理特性（即覆盖率，碳交换百分比），并在跨尺度上链接这些措施以在空间和时间上检查植被/景观反应。 2017年，北极监测和评估计划报告说：“北极的气候正在转变为新州”。而且“北极的气候变化一直在迅速发展”。 2018年，政府间气候变化小组报告说，北极的变暖是并且将继续是全球平均水平的两到三倍。加拿大有明显的证据表明在北极加热，有可能成为评估变暖对各种北极生态系统的影响的领导者。我的研究结果将使我们能够评估北极陆地生态系统的环境变化并估计未来的反馈情景。这项研究将有助于我们为在加拿大北部生活和运营的社区和资源行业提供发展决策和适应策略。在五年的授予期内，我将培训3名博士学位候选人，4名MSC候选人和3名BSC（荣誉）学生，他们将在加拿大高北极进行研究，从而为下一代北极科学家和从业人员做出贡献，专门针对北极领域方法，远程感应图像处理和空间数据分析。我的研究将提供监测北极陆地生态系统和地形对气候变化的反应的方法。