Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Forest Mortality

Climate-induced forest mortality poses an increasing threat worldwide, which calls for developing robust approaches to generate early warning signals of upcoming forest state change. This research explores the potential of satellite imagery, utilizing advanced spatio-temporal indicators and methodologies, to assess the state of forests preceding mortality events. Traditional approaches, such as techniques based on temporal analyses, are impacted by limitations related to window size selection and detrending methods, potentially leading to false alarms. To tackle these challenges, our study introduces two new approaches, namely the Spatial-Temporal Moran (STM) and Spatial-Temporal Geary (STG) approaches, both focusing on local spatial autocorrelation measures. These approaches can effectively address the shortcomings inherent in traditional methods. The research findings were assessed across three study sites within California national parks, and Kendall's tau was employed to quantify the significance of false and positive alarms. To facilitate the measurement of ecosystem state change, trend estimation, and identification of early warning signals, this study also provides "stew" R package. The implications of this research extend to various groups, such as ecologists, conservation practitioners, and policymakers, providing them with the means to address emerging environmental challenges in global forest ecosystems.