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The Application of Satellite Remote Sensing for Classifying Forest Degradation and Deriving Above-Ground Biomass Estimates

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Co-benefits of Sustainable Forestry

Part of the book series: Ecological Research Monographs ((ECOLOGICAL))

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Abstract

Forests are defined as areas that are covered with trees taller than 5 m in height and at least 10 % canopy cover, integrating both pristine forests and anthropogenic forest plantations. In the subtropical and tropical zones, a 10–40 % canopy cover defines an open canopy forest, and a 40–100 % canopy cover is classified as a closed canopy forest (FAO 2000a). Pristine forest ecosystems, especially in the tropics, are severely threatened by degradation and deforestation caused by human impact, whereby forest degradation is often a precursor for deforestation (Asner et al. 2005). Forest degradation is characterized by a significant reduction in tree density from closed to open or fragmented forests (Achard et al. 2004; DeFries et al. 2007). Deforestation, on the other hand, is described as the reduction of forest cover to less than 10 % (FAO 2000b; Mayaux et al. 2005).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Forest Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Andreas Langner & Kanehiro Kitayama

  2. Sabah Forestry Department, Forest Research Centre, 1407, 90715, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

    Jupiri Titin

Authors
  1. Andreas Langner
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  2. Jupiri Titin
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  3. Kanehiro Kitayama
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas Langner .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Kanehiro Kitayama

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Langner, A., Titin, J., Kitayama, K. (2012). The Application of Satellite Remote Sensing for Classifying Forest Degradation and Deriving Above-Ground Biomass Estimates. In: Kitayama, K. (eds) Co-benefits of Sustainable Forestry. Ecological Research Monographs. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54141-7_2

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