Biodiversity and albedo of forests: from hyperspectral technologies to climate benefits

Researcher

Dr. Jussi Juola, postdoctoral researcher, Aalto University

Research team

Dr. Aarne Hovi, Prof. Miina Rautiainen, Aalto University

Description of the project:

The aim of the project is to investigate the links between biodiversity, biomass, site fertility, and albedo of Finnish forests. Besides the carbon balance, albedo (i.e., ‘reflectivity’) of land surfaces has an important impact on climate, especially in the northern latitudes. However, albedo of boreal forests remains poorly quantified, which causes uncertainty in climate predictions. In particular, the interconnections between forest albedo, nutrient balance, and biodiversity actions (e.g., continuous cover forestry and preference for rare broadleaf tree species) are poorly known. Understanding these relationships is essential for planning optimal forest management that balances between economic, climatic, and biodiversity impact of forests.

The project offers novel insights into the effects of biodiversity, biomass, and nutrient balance on forests’ albedo. Spanning across a diverse range of Finnish forests, from southern boreal to the arctic zone, the project utilizes albedo estimates from satellite data products, and develops the parameterization of biodiversity-related variables in physically-based forest reflectance models. Additionally, we develop novel spectral measurement techniques to create open access spectral libraries that can be used as input in those models. The results of the project will help to improve the impact assessment of forests on climate and contribute to the development of tools that enable holistic evaluation of climate, biodiversity, and economic impact of forests.

Dr. Jussi Juola