Characterizing Forest Growth and Productivity Using Remotely Sensed Data

Forest growth and productivity are critically important at a range of spatial scales, to better understand the terrestrial carbon cycle globally to sustainably manage the forest locally. Field measurements of forestry parameters to assess productivity at any spatial scale consume substantial resources in terms of both time and cost. Remote sensing enables a highly accurate approach for observation of forested ecosystems, providing the tools to estimate many biophysical parameters across a range of scales. There are a number of different methods of measuring the productivity of forested ecosystems using remote sensing. In this review, we summarize the three general approaches-productivity via physiological measurements, dimension analysis, or relationships of growth to foliage concentrations and light-and provide specific examples throughout on the use and application of remote sensing technologies. The paper concludes with some general statements on future work and the way forward.