Determining Subcanopy Psidium cattleianum Invasion in Hawaiian Forests Using Imaging Spectroscopy

Barbosa, José Marcos; Asner, Gregory P.; Martin, Robert E.; Baldeck, Claire A.; Hughes, Flint; Johnson, Tracy

doi:10.3390/rs8010033

Cited by 35 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…; Barbosa et al . ) or the use of LiDAR time series to identify areas where canopies are already naturally recovering (see Rappaport, Tambosi & Metzger ). Identifying individual species within the restoration area could provide valuable information on the prevalence of native or non‐native species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritizing landscapes for restoration based on spatial patterns of ecosystem controls and plant–plant interactions

Barbosa

Asner

2017

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary The widespread degradation of natural ecosystems requires cost‐efficient restoration techniques that minimize risk and consider context‐specific restoration conditions. However, meeting these demands can be difficult because information on ecosystem‐level factors controlling vegetation and continuous spatial data on species interactions are often lacking. Using airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data from a Hawaiian dry forest, we delineated crowns and assessed the 3D structure of more than 700 000 shrubs and trees. We used Random Forest machine learning to assess the relative importance of resource availability, environmental conditions, and disturbance regimes on canopy density. We then modelled and scaled up plant–plant interactions (i.e. potential nursery effects) to landscape units using a LiDAR‐derived Canopy Coalescence (CC) index. We used the relative importance of ecosystem factors, canopy cover, and CC index to prioritize landscapes for restoration. Here, we demonstrate a methodological framework that prioritizes landscapes in need of restoration (i.e. planting woody species) using two ecological perspectives: (i) ecosystem‐level controls on remnant woody vegetation, and (ii) potential interactions between established canopies and seedlings (e.g. nursery effect, competition). Our results highlight the heterogeneous nature of ecosystem‐level drivers affecting forest structure along elevation gradients. Consequently, the degree of potential nursery interactions between established canopies and seedlings at the landscape‐scale was context‐specific. Synthesis and applications. Our study provides a methodological approach that prioritizes landscapes for restoration by identifying the main controls on tree spatial distribution and by inferring the favourable conditions for seedlings. This approach can guide land managers to define cost‐efficient restoration strategies for large ecological areas.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritizing landscapes for restoration based on spatial patterns of ecosystem controls and plant–plant interactions

Barbosa

Asner

2017

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…, Barbosa et al. ). Such high accuracies in mapping individual species have permitted the detection of initial stages of invasion (Barbosa et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Such high accuracies in mapping individual species have permitted the detection of initial stages of invasion (Barbosa et al. ). Combining maps of invasive species with estimates of canopy GPP may allow us to identify differences in productivity between an invader and the host plant community.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape‐scale GPP and carbon density inform patterns and impacts of an invasive tree across wet forests of Hawaii

Barbosa

Asner

Hughes

et al. 2017

Ecological Applications

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Plant invasion typically occurs within a landscape-scale framework of abiotic and biotic conditions, often resulting in emergent feedbacks among environment, ecosystem functions, and the dominance of invasive species. Understanding the mechanisms underlying successful invasions is an important component of conservation and management efforts, but this has been poorly investigated in a spatially explicit manner. Knowing where and why invasion patterns change throughout the landscape enables managers to use context-specific controls on the spread of invasive species. Using high-resolution airborne imaging spectroscopy, we studied plant performance in growth within and across landscapes to examine the dominance and spatial distribution of an invasive tree, Psidium cattleianum (strawberry guava), in heterogeneous environmental conditions of a submontane Hawaiian tropical forest. We assessed invader performance using the GPP ratio index, which is the relative difference in remotely sensed estimates of gross primary productivity between canopies of guava and canopies of the invaded plant community. In addition, we used airborne LiDAR data to evaluate the impacts of guava invasion on the forest aboveground carbon density in different environments. Structural equation modeling revealed that substrate type and elevation above sea level interact and amplify landscape-scale differences in productivity between the invasive species and the host plant community (GPP ratio); differences that ultimately control levels of dominance of guava. We found shifts in patterns of forest carbon storage based on both gradual increase of invader dominance and changes in environmental conditions. Overall, our results demonstrate that the remotely sensed index defined as the GPP ratio provided an innovative spatially explicit approach to track and predict the success of invasive plants based in their canopy productivity, particularly within a landscape-scale framework of varying environmental factors such as soils and elevation. This approach may help managers accurately predict where invaders of forests, scrublands, or grasslands are likely to exhibit high levels of dominance before the environment is fully invaded.

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“…LiDAR) sensors, to detect and monitor IAPs (Huang et al 2013). This flourishing literature ranges from the differentiation of native vs. alien species (Somers and Asner 2013) to the detection of single species including trees, sub canopy trees (Barbosa et al 2016) and even tiny moss species (Skowronek et al 2016). The development of new platforms and instruments are opening new research avenues that integrate remote sensing as a standard tool to monitor IAPs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The DIARS toolbox: a spatially explicit approach to monitor alien plant invasions through remote sensing

Garzón‐López¹,

Hattab²,

Skowronek³

et al. 2018

RIO

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The synergies between remote sensing technologies and ecological research have opened new avenues for the study of alien plant invasions worldwide. Such scientific advances have greatly improved our capacity to issue warnings, develop early-response systems and assess the impacts of alien plant invasions on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Hitherto, practical applications of remote sensing approaches to support nature conservation actions are lagging far behind scientific advances.

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Determining Subcanopy Psidium cattleianum Invasion in Hawaiian Forests Using Imaging Spectroscopy

Cited by 35 publications

References 50 publications

Prioritizing landscapes for restoration based on spatial patterns of ecosystem controls and plant–plant interactions

Prioritizing landscapes for restoration based on spatial patterns of ecosystem controls and plant–plant interactions

Landscape‐scale GPP and carbon density inform patterns and impacts of an invasive tree across wet forests of Hawaii

The DIARS toolbox: a spatially explicit approach to monitor alien plant invasions through remote sensing

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