Novel methods facilitating the mechanistic interpretation of multiscale optical remote sensing measurements

Abstract

Plant physiology concentrates on the study of plant internal processes, such as growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthesis. The quantification of photosynthesis regulation is significant in understanding how plants react to the changing climate. Spectral remote sensing methods, using both reflected light in the visible and near infrared wavelengths, as well as chlorophyll fluorescence, are used to gather information about plant physiological variables. These methods have developed rapidly, prompted by the advances in remote sensing platforms and sensors. However, interpretation of remote sensing signals can be challenging. Due to canopy heterogeneity, the signal is affected by various elements, such as scattering, soil background and canopy structural effects. Additionally, open questions remain linked to the underlying mechanistic processes in the leaf modulating the optical signal, such as nutrient contents and leaf photochemistry, and how these processes and the optical signals diverge in response to temporal variation. Through multi-scale measurements, this thesis aims to advance the interpretation of optical remote sensing signals as they are affected by spatial and temporal variation, while promoting the use of novel methods and devices. Results indicate that diurnal and long-term variation of solar induced fluorescence (SIF) is driven by photosynthetic and structural factors, causing possible misinterpretations in SIF data. Additionally, depending on the scale of observation, results show that the capacity of remote sensing to detect changes in foliar nutrients depends on the covariation of nutrients, pigments and canopy structure, underlining the need for both leaf and canopy level measurements. Finally, we advocate for the implementation of a novel miniaturized fluorometer, demonstrating the ability to track the seasonal regulation of photosynthesis using integrated measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence and gas exchange. The results from this thesis underline the need for simultaneous multi-scale measurements of leaf and canopy physiological factors to further our understanding of photosynthesis regulation.