Mapping Forest Stability within Major Biomes Using Canopy Indices Derived from MODIS Time Series

Deforestation and forest degradation from human land use, including primary loss, are of growing concern. The conservation old-growth other forests with important environmental values is central to many international initiatives aimed at protecting biodiversity, mitigating climate change impacts, supporting sustainable livelihoods. Current remote-sensing products largely focus on deforestation rather than dependent machine learning, calibrated extensive field measurements. To help address this, we developed a novel approach for mapping ecosystem stability, defined in terms constancy, which key characteristic long-undisturbed (including primary) forests. Our categorizes into stability classes based satellite-data time series related plant water–carbon relationships. Specifically, used long-term dynamics the fraction photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by canopy (fPAR) shortwave infrared water stress index (SIWSI) derived Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) period 2003–2018. We calculated set variables annual fPAR SIWSI representative regions opposite ends Earth’s climatic latitudinal gradients: boreal Siberia (southern taiga, Russia) tropical rainforests Amazon basin (Kayapó territory, Brazil). Independent validation drew upon high-resolution Landsat imagery cover data. results indicate that proposed accurate applicable across biomes and, thereby, provides timely transferrable method aid identification stable Information location less equally relevant ecological restoration, reforestation, proforestation activities.