3-D Forest Canopy

Measuring biological diversity is tough business, requiring years of habitat study and counting organisms. But ecologists now have a new tool in their shed: LIDAR (light detection and ranging) technology that can create detailed 3-D maps of areas. Shown above is the forest canopy of Patuxent Wildlife Refuge in Maryland.

By mapping vegetation, according to a recent study in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment, the abundance and richness of creatures can be more quickly estimated. The tool is more accurate than satellite imagery, which produces flat images that aren't 3-D like LIDAR.

Specifically, scientists at Woods Hole Research Center used the Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS), which collects data about canopy height, elevation, complexity and habitat structure.

The technique is now being usedto investigate sites in New Hampshire to predict the abundance of birds.

"We will have a valuable new tool for identifying and protecting key biodiversity hotspots,” said Scott Goetz, a scientist at Woods Hole Research Center.

--LiveScience Staff

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Credit: Daniel Steinberg/Woods Hole Research Center