Satellites spot forest stress two years before bark beetle die-offs become apparent
Satellite measurements detected declining photosynthetic activity in Western U.S. forests two years before bark beetle mortality appeared in aerial detection surveys, according to new University of Utah-led research.
Satellite observations have revealed a warning sign of forest stress in the Western U.S. up to two years before bark beetle mortality becomes evident, according to a study led by the University of Utah. Researchers found that chlorophyll fluorescence, a measure of plant photosynthesis, can detect subtle changes in evergreen forests before conventional satellite metrics pick up on the decline.
This new tool has the potential to serve as an early warning system for land managers to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of disturbances like drought, wildfire, and insect outbreaks. The study, published in Remote Sensing of Environment, demonstrates that satellite-observed chlorophyll fluorescence could provide a valuable early warning of forest stress at a scale large enough to assess the health of entire forests.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
