Studies on the Forest Dieback Phenomenon in a Semi-Arid Region Using Remotely Sensed Data

Various factors have been cited for forest dieback including global warming and dryness, overgrazing damage by wild animals, forest fires, and damage by insects. In this study, we apply a tree measurement (TM) survey to examine living and dead (dieback) trees, as well as obtain a Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) measurement. Extraction of fallen and dieback tree pixels using time series Landsat satellite data, including an analysis of microgeomorphology characteristics (slope and solar radiation) of dieback trees using 30 m Terra/ASTER DEM data were employed. Results show a majority of dieback trees in places with a large amount of insolation with a small slope, with DBH of white birch trees largest on slopes with altitudes of 1,550 m to 1,700 m.

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