Changes in tropical canopy structure from forest elephant population losses in Central Africa
Jenna M Keany, Northern Arizona University, jk2254@nau.edu (Presenter)
Patrick Burns, Northern Arizona University, pb463@nau.edu
Fabio Berzaghi, World Maritime University
Andrew Abraham, Northern Arizona University, andrew.abraham@nau.edu
Patrick Jantz, Northern Arizona University, patrick.jantz@nau.edu
Scott J. Goetz, Northern Arizona University, scott.goetz@nau.edu
Christopher Doughty, Northern Arizona University, chris.doughty@nau.edu
Although multiple studies have proclaimed African forest elephants as ecosystem engineers, these studies were all conducted on a local scale. Their results point to forest elephants as drivers of lower plant mass in the understory through browsing with overall higher carbon contents in the forest through the dispersal of high wood density tree seeds. These assumptions are then used in large ecosystem wide models and carbon capturing frameworks that promote forest elephants as carbon sequestration vessels. With near-global data from spaceborne remote sensing instruments focused on forest structure (GEDI), these findings can be validated on a large spatial scale. Using GEDI lidar L2A and L2B products on Google Earth Engine and elephant density data across 18 protected areas in Central Africa from the Africa Elephant Specialist Group, changes in forest structural metrics (canopy height, height of median energy, vertical distribution ratio, canopy cover) from elephant poaching will be quantified.
Associated Project(s):
Poster Location ID: 1-47
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Poster Session 1
Session Date: Tue (May 9) 5:00-7:00 PM
CCE Program: BDEC