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Use of Remote Sensing to Model Land Use Effects on Carbon Flux in Forests of the Pacific Northwest, USA

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The Use of Remote Sensing in the Modeling of Forest Productivity

Part of the book series: Forestry Sciences ((FOSC,volume 50))

Abstract

Reducing the uncertainty in the global carbon (C) budget will require better information on regional C budgets. We discuss the use of a simple “metamodel,” in conjunction with satellite data, to quantify C flux from a 12,000-km2 forestland study area in Oregon. The model tracks C storage in living, detrital and forest products pools. Between 1972 and 1991, total C flux from this study area to the atmosphere was estimated to average 1.13 Mg ha−1 yr−1, with values ranging from −4.7 to +15.8 Mg ha−1 yr−1. This spatial variability was related to site quality, land use and historical factors. These results are used to illustrate the natural and anthropogenic sources of heterogeneity that can influence C budgets at the regional scale and to demonstrate how remotely sensed data can be used to help quantify this heterogeneity.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Environmental Sciences, MS-9181, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 98225-9181, USA

    David O. Wallin

  2. Department of Forest Sciences, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Rm. 020, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Mark E. Harmon & William K. Ferrell

  3. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Warren B. Cohen & Maria Fiorella

Authors
  1. David O. Wallin
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  2. Mark E. Harmon
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  3. Warren B. Cohen
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  4. Maria Fiorella
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  5. William K. Ferrell
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan

    Haruhisa Shimoda

  2. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Henry L. Gholz

  3. Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan

    Kaneyuki Nakane

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© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Wallin, D.O., Harmon, M.E., Cohen, W.B., Fiorella, M., Ferrell, W.K. (1997). Use of Remote Sensing to Model Land Use Effects on Carbon Flux in Forests of the Pacific Northwest, USA. In: Shimoda, H., Gholz, H.L., Nakane, K. (eds) The Use of Remote Sensing in the Modeling of Forest Productivity. Forestry Sciences, vol 50. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5446-8_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5446-8_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6290-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-5446-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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