Continuous satellite-based indicators for mapping subtropical forest degradation and its environmental impacts. (REFORCHA)

Tropical and subtropical deforestation is a major source of carbon emission, a main driver of global biodiversity loss, and results in the fundamental restructuring of ecosystem functioning and thus ecosystem service provisioning. Understanding forest dynamics is thus of great international concern, and remote sensing is the foundation for monitoring these changes. Conventional methods to interpret remote sensing data often rely on mapping conversions among discrete land cover classes and do not capture the strong heterogeneity in vegetation types, as well as the fine-scale spatial complexity of forest disturbance. As a result, we are still lacking tools capable of monitoring gradual changes in forest structure, biomass and functioning that are the result of forest degradation.Using the Dry Chaco in Argentina as an example, the objective of this proposal is to develop advanced remote sensing methods and indicators to: more reliably map forest degradation (e.g., via logging or forest grazing) and to separate it from forest conversion and natural disturbances (e.g., fire); assess the biophysical effects of forest dynamics on soil degradation and salinization; evaluate whether the extent and severity of vegetation and soil degradation differ among actor groups and whether conservation policies are effective in mitigating degradation in dryland forests.