Combining satellite and field data reveals Congo's forest types structure, functioning and composition

2024

Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:001330018600001

Picard Juliette, Dembi Mmnp, Barbier Nicolas, Cornu G., Couteron Pierre, Forni E., Gibbon G., Lim F., Ploton Pierre, Pouteau Robin, Tresson Paul, van Loon T., Viennois G., Réjou-Méchain Maxime

Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 2024, [Early access], p. [21 p.]

Tropical moist forests are not the homogeneous green carpet often illustrated in maps or considered by global models. They harbour a complex mixture of forest types organized at different spatial scales that can now be more accurately mapped thanks to remote sensing products and artificial intelligence. In this study, we built a large-scale vegetation map of the North of Congo and assessed the environmental drivers of the main forest types, their forest structure, their floristic and functional compositions and their faunistic composition. To build the map, we used Sentinel-2 satellite images and recent deep learning architectures. We tested the effect of topographically determined water availability on vegetation type distribution by linking the map with a water drainage depth proxy (HAND, height above the nearest drainage index). We also described vegetation type structure and composition (floristic, functional and associated fauna) by linking the map with data from large inventories and derived from satellite images. We found that water drainage depth is a major driver of forest type distribution and that the different forest types are characterized by different structure, composition and functions, bringing new insights about their origins and successional dynamics. We discuss not only the crucial role of soil-water depth, but also the importance of consistently reproducing such maps through time to develop an accurate monitoring of tropical forest types and functions, and we provide insights on peculiar forest types (Marantaceae forests and monodominant Gilbertiodendron forests) on which future studies should focus more. Under the current context of global change, expected to trigger major forest structural and compositional changes in the tropics, an appropriate monitoring strategy of the spatio-temporal dynamics of forest types and their associated floristic and faunistic composition would considerably help anticipate detrimental shifts. Using Sentinel-2 satellite images and recent deep learning architectures, we built a large-scale vegetation map of the North of Congo and assessed the environmental drivers of the main forest types, their forest structure, their floristic and functional compositions, and their faunistic composition. In addition to a comprehensive description of six forest types, we show that water drainage depth is a major driver of forest type distribution and composition, and provide insights on peculiar forest types (Marantaceae forests and monodominant Gilbertiodendron forests). We also discuss the importance of consistently reproducing such maps through time to develop an accurate monitoring of the dynamics of tropical forest types and functions.

Sciences du milieu [021] ; Etudes, transformation, conservation du milieu naturel [082] ; Télédétection [126]

CONGO

Fonds IRD [F B010091936]

fdi:010091936