The Forest Observation System, building a global reference dataset for remote sensing of forest biomass

Schepaschenko, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7814-4990, Chave, J., Phillips, O.L., Lewis, S.L., Davies, S.J., Réjou-Méchain, M., Sist, P., Scipal, K., Perger, C., Herault, B., Labrière, N., Hofhansl, F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0073-0946, Affum-Baffoe, K., Aleinikov, A., Alonso, A., Amani, C., Araujo-Murakami, A., Armston, J., Arroyo, L., Ascarrunz, N., et al. (2019). The Forest Observation System, building a global reference dataset for remote sensing of forest biomass. Scientific Data 6 (1) e198. 10.1038/s41597-019-0196-1.

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Abstract

Forest biomass is an essential indicator for monitoring the Earth’s ecosystems and climate. It is a critical input to greenhouse gas accounting, estimation of carbon losses and forest degradation, assessment of renewable energy potential, and for developing climate change mitigation policies such as REDD+, among others. Wall-to-wall mapping of aboveground biomass (AGB) is now possible with satellite remote sensing (RS). However, RS methods require extant, up-to-date, reliable, representative and comparable in situ data for calibration and validation. Here, we present the Forest Observation System (FOS) initiative, an international cooperation to establish and maintain a global in situ forest biomass database. AGB and canopy height estimates with their associated uncertainties are derived at a 0.25 ha scale from field measurements made in permanent research plots across the world’s forests. All plot estimates are geolocated and have a size that allows for direct comparison with many RS measurements. The FOS offers the potential to improve the accuracy of RS-based biomass products while developing new synergies between the RS and ground-based ecosystem research communities.

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