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Mapping forest diversity changes after disturbances using remote sensing data
Forest ecosystems are experiencing rapid changes due to climate-driven disturbances, which impact their structure, functioning, and ability to provide essential ecosystem services. Diversifying tree-species composition and management strategies is key to enhancing forest resilience, yet the slow pace of these changes contrasts with the urgency created by increasingly severe events like storms and droughts. While disturbances are now seen as opportunities for driving positive forest change, little is known about how historic storms, fires, bark beetle outbreaks and post-disturbance management have influenced biodiversity in managed forests. Addressing this gap is crucial for developing effective management strategies and forest policies to enhance forest resilience and ensure their adaptability to future challenges.
We will analyze remote sensing products, such as aerial images or Landsat time series data, and forest disturbance maps, to identify forest disturbance areas and assess changes in tree-species diversity over the past 30 years. Undisturbed areas with similar environmental conditions will be included as controls to isolate the effects of disturbances. Using disturbance maps and space-for-time analysis, we will evaluate species composition, canopy structure, and landscape diversity. Biodiversity metrics such as Shannon diversity, species richness, and evenness will be calculated to quantify changes. Statistical analyses will be applied to examine the influence of disturbance patch size and regional differences on recovery and diversity patterns.
We will analyze remote sensing products, such as aerial images or Landsat time series data, and forest disturbance maps, to identify forest disturbance areas and assess changes in tree-species diversity over the past 30 years. Undisturbed areas with similar environmental conditions will be included as controls to isolate the effects of disturbances. Using disturbance maps and space-for-time analysis, we will evaluate species composition, canopy structure, and landscape diversity. Biodiversity metrics such as Shannon diversity, species richness, and evenness will be calculated to quantify changes. Statistical analyses will be applied to examine the influence of disturbance patch size and regional differences on recovery and diversity patterns.
Assess the impact of forest disturbances and post-disturbance management on tree-species diversity in European forests over the last 30 years.
**Objectives**:
1. Evaluate the suitability of different remote sensing products (e.g., aerial images, satellite data) for assessing the impact of historic disturbance events on tree-species composition.
2. Assess recently impacted areas by disturbance alongside areas that have recovered to infer the recovery trajectory and today’s species-composition using the space-for-time analysis.
3. Investigate how disturbance patch size, disturbance agent, and regional differences, incl. different management objectives, influenced the impact of disturbance events on forest diversity.
**Wanted**:
A highly motivated student interested in remote sensing and biodiversity, willing to learn new practical techniques and ecological concepts.
You will get to:
• Learn about remote sensing and, more importantly, how to apply these technical skills to a relevant application for the forestry community.
• Get familiar with the latest developments in forest ecology and remote sensing.
• Gain important remote sensing knowledge for future work.
• Be a co-author on a publication resulting from this work.
• Be part of a motivated, fun, and energetic team of scientists.
Assess the impact of forest disturbances and post-disturbance management on tree-species diversity in European forests over the last 30 years.
**Objectives**:
1. Evaluate the suitability of different remote sensing products (e.g., aerial images, satellite data) for assessing the impact of historic disturbance events on tree-species composition.
2. Assess recently impacted areas by disturbance alongside areas that have recovered to infer the recovery trajectory and today’s species-composition using the space-for-time analysis.
3. Investigate how disturbance patch size, disturbance agent, and regional differences, incl. different management objectives, influenced the impact of disturbance events on forest diversity.
**Wanted**:
A highly motivated student interested in remote sensing and biodiversity, willing to learn new practical techniques and ecological concepts.
You will get to:
• Learn about remote sensing and, more importantly, how to apply these technical skills to a relevant application for the forestry community.
• Get familiar with the latest developments in forest ecology and remote sensing.
• Gain important remote sensing knowledge for future work.
• Be a co-author on a publication resulting from this work.
• Be part of a motivated, fun, and energetic team of scientists.
Supervisor: Dr. Jasper Fuchs and Dr. Mirela Beloiu Schwenke
If the idea of participating in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research excites you, please contact mirela.beloiu(at)usys.ethz.ch. The FORM team is looking forward to hearing from you!
**References**:
• Changes of forest cover and disturbance regimes in the mountain forests of the Alps
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112716307812
• Climate-driven risks to the climate mitigation potential of forests
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaz7005
• Post-disturbance reorganization of forest ecosystems in a changing world https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2202190119
Supervisor: Dr. Jasper Fuchs and Dr. Mirela Beloiu Schwenke
If the idea of participating in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research excites you, please contact mirela.beloiu(at)usys.ethz.ch. The FORM team is looking forward to hearing from you!
**References**:
• Changes of forest cover and disturbance regimes in the mountain forests of the Alps https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112716307812
• Climate-driven risks to the climate mitigation potential of forests https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaz7005
• Post-disturbance reorganization of forest ecosystems in a changing world https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2202190119
MSc_postDisturbanceDiversityRemoteSensingEurope.pdf
