Remote Sensing of Mountain Birch Forest Biomass and Leaf Area Index Using ASTER Data

Suitability of ASTER satellite data for estimating biomass and LAI for mountain birch forests was investigated. The field data consisted of 124 plots surveyed in northernmost Finland in July 2004. The statistical relationships between the field measurements and ASTER reflectances were modelled using canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and reduced major axis (RMA) regression. The models were applied to map biomass and LAI, and to calculate biomass and LAI statistics for most widespread subalpine mountain birch forest types in the study area. The results indicate significant relationships between biomass, LAI and ASTER data. The estimates were reasonable when compared to the previously published data and to the biotope inventory data. The predictions seem to be unreliable when dwarf birch shrubs are abundant in the undergrowth. However, ASTER VNIR bands in particular seem to have potential for vegetation mapping.