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Syncing Phenology Phase and Canopy Spectral Reflectance of Common Tree Species of Four Forest Covers in India


Affiliations
1 Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, India
2 Aranya Bhavan, Naya Raipur 492 001, India
3 Kothi Building, Vadodara 390 001, India
4 Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012, India
5 EPSA Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 015, India
 

Variability in the leaf phenology of tropical trees impacts their growth. How phenology of tree species responds over rainfall gradient is relevant to study in the light of current climatic changes. Airborne visible and infrared imaging spectrometer-next generation (AVIRIS-NG) spectral datasets have been considered for this study as they not only provide wider area of coverage, but also high spatial and spectrally resolved output. Canopy-level spectra of 16 common species of four different forest covers in India were synced with observed phenology phase and the annual rainfall in each forest cover was recorded. Reflectance spectra of the same species in the four forest covers distinctively differed over rainfall gradient, indicating intra-species pliability. Consistent lower reflectance/higher absorp-tion at chlorophyll bands of all the common deciduous species in the higher annual rainfall region over that with relatively lower rainfall indicated that deciduous species acclimate green foliage phase of the phenology cycle. Boxplots of reflectance values of chlorophyll absorption band of 16 species showed a decrease in the variability of the datasets over the four forest co-vers, revealing that increasing rainfall provides better synchrony in the phenology phase of the observed tree species. The study highlights the importance of AVIRIS-NG spectral datasets in monitoring different phases of forest phenology associated with growth potential dynamics effectively under changing rainfall pattern.

Keywords

Absorption Band, Canopy-level Spectra, Forest Cover, Phenology Phase, Rainfall Gradient, Tree Species.
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  • Syncing Phenology Phase and Canopy Spectral Reflectance of Common Tree Species of Four Forest Covers in India

Abstract Views: 297  |  PDF Views: 135

Authors

Amrita N. Chaurasia
Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, India
Reshma M. Parmar
Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, India
Maulik G. Dave
Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, India
Nirav Mehta
Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, India
Rajesh Kallaje
Aranya Bhavan, Naya Raipur 492 001, India
Aradhana Sahu
Kothi Building, Vadodara 390 001, India
Indu K. Murthy
Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012, India
C. P. Singh
EPSA Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad 380 015, India
N. S. R. Krishnayya
Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, India

Abstract


Variability in the leaf phenology of tropical trees impacts their growth. How phenology of tree species responds over rainfall gradient is relevant to study in the light of current climatic changes. Airborne visible and infrared imaging spectrometer-next generation (AVIRIS-NG) spectral datasets have been considered for this study as they not only provide wider area of coverage, but also high spatial and spectrally resolved output. Canopy-level spectra of 16 common species of four different forest covers in India were synced with observed phenology phase and the annual rainfall in each forest cover was recorded. Reflectance spectra of the same species in the four forest covers distinctively differed over rainfall gradient, indicating intra-species pliability. Consistent lower reflectance/higher absorp-tion at chlorophyll bands of all the common deciduous species in the higher annual rainfall region over that with relatively lower rainfall indicated that deciduous species acclimate green foliage phase of the phenology cycle. Boxplots of reflectance values of chlorophyll absorption band of 16 species showed a decrease in the variability of the datasets over the four forest co-vers, revealing that increasing rainfall provides better synchrony in the phenology phase of the observed tree species. The study highlights the importance of AVIRIS-NG spectral datasets in monitoring different phases of forest phenology associated with growth potential dynamics effectively under changing rainfall pattern.

Keywords


Absorption Band, Canopy-level Spectra, Forest Cover, Phenology Phase, Rainfall Gradient, Tree Species.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv120%2Fi3%2F567-570