New Structural Complexity Metrics for Forests from Single Terrestrial Lidar Scans

We developed new measures of structural complexity using single point terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) clouds. These metrics are depth, openness, and isovist. Depth is a three-dimensional, radial measure the visible distance in all directions from plot center. Openness percent scan pulses near-omnidirectional view without return. Isovists measurement area location, quantified viewshed within forest canopy. 243 scans were acquired 27 forested stands Pacific Northwest region United States, different ecoregions representing broad gradient complexity. All designated natural areas with little to no human perturbations. created “structural signatures” depth openness that can be used qualitatively visualize differences structures quantitively distinguish composition at differing height strata. In most cases, signatures effective providing statistically significant differentiating forests various growth patterns. less between across multiple ecoregions, but they still quantify ecological important metric occlusion. appear capture high level precision low observer bias have great potential for quantifying change ecosystems, effects management activities, describing habitat organisms. Our structure ground truth data obtained aerial lidar develop models estimating structure.