Progetti di ricerca

Extreme events in Europe have been shown to affect forest health status and they will likely increase in frequency, causing significant impacts. Super-sites integrating long-term ground observations and multi- scale spectral information need to be established across biogeographical regions, focusing on key… Leggi tutto forest types that have already shown significant degradation (such as evergreen and deciduous oak forests, and southern European pine forests). In this context, the FlyFor will combine hyperspectral and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence airborne measurements to determine tree stress responses along a stress severity axis, to upscale current and possible future climate impacts on forests. A biogeographical west-European transect including three super-sites (in forest ecosystems which are showing mild to severe signs of decline) was designed including: i) Mediterranean evergreen oak forests, ii) continental deciduous oak forests, iii) low altitude alpine pine forests. Ground-truth data available at the selected super sites (Eddy Covariance, defoliation, sap flow, canopy hyperspectral reflectance and SIF) will be integrated with additional FlyForSIF measurements (airborne SIF, Leaf Area Index, Leaf Water Content, Specific Leaf Area, leaf pigment content and leaf Pulse-Amplitude- Modulation-PAM fluorescence). Pigments (including xanthophylls) will be measured at selected trees during the summer of 2025. Flight campaigns will be carried out with IBIS-CASI-SASI hyperspectral sensors. The ability of single-tree spectral information to detect tree stress will be tested and upscaled to the satellite level using PlanetScope imagery. In the FORWARDS initiative context, the expected results will act as a proof of concept for the future implementation of a multi-scale tool for long-term detection of climate change impacts on European forests.