Disentangling LiDAR Contribution in Modelling Species–Habitat Structure Relationships in Terrestrial Ecosystems Worldwide. A Systematic Review and Future Directions

Global biodiversity is threatened by unprecedented and increasing anthropogenic pressures, including habitat loss fragmentation. LiDAR can become a decisive technology providing accurate information about the linkages between ecosystem structure. Here, we review current use of metrics in ecological studies regarding birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, bryophytes, lichens, fungi (BLF). We quantify types research (ecosystem sources) describe platforms data that are currently available. also categorize harmonize into five morphological traits (canopy cover, height vertical distribution, understory shrubland, topographic traits) their effectiveness across taxonomic groups ecosystems. The literature returned 173 papers met our criteria. Europe North America held most studies, birds were studied group, whereas temperate forest was far represented ecosystem. Globally, canopy used trait, especially ecosystems, cover terrain topography performed better those ecosystems where they mapped. Understory structure shrubland together with showed high for less such as BLF invertebrates open landscapes. Our results show how has greatly contributed to mapping, organisms poorly until recently, BLF. Finally, discuss forthcoming opportunities mapping different combination spectral information. advocate (i) integration spaceborne already available airborne (airplane, drones) terrestrial technology, (ii) coupling it multispectral/hyperspectral information, which will allow exploration analyses new species