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Résumé :
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Measurable indicators of forest condition, which are both practical and scientifically sound, are urgently needed in Ontario and elsewhere. We present a strategy to develop a physiologically based approach to address this need. The Bioindicators of Forest Sustainability project seeks to develop a Forest Condition Rating (FCR) system that uses remotely sensed spectral features to classify forests on a quantitative scale from healthy to stressed, relative to a benchmark or acceptable range of values. Calibration and development of the FCR scale will be done mainly by relating hyperspectral (i.e., many finely resolved bands of light) reflectance to ground-based assessments of stress status, health, and productivity of forest stands using plots from existing provincial networks as well as laboratory experiments and field trials. The FCR system will focus upon the stand level, but may be adaptable to a range of spatial scales. Potential operational applications of this system include rating forest sites using spectral data to provide short, medium, or long-term trend analyses of forest condition. The FCR is intended to provide an early warning of pre-visual stress effects, to support management decisions related to maintaining forest productivity. In addition, FCR would be a tool that Ontario can use to report on aspects of forest sustainability. The capacity to rate forest condition using physiological methods would advance our ability to quantitatively evaluate the functional status of our forests.
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