Climate change mitigation in forest ecosystems. 7.5 ECTS
1. Basic information
The mitigation of adverse climate effects and, ultimately, the sustainability of livelihoods in many parts of the earth are key issues for many decision makers. The greenhouse effects due to greenhouse gas emissions, in particular carbon and related carbon sequestration, are at the heart of climate change, which ranks them among the most pressing problems the earth is facing. Global instruments like the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and IPCC all aim to address these problems, resulting in an explicit link with the International Environmental Agenda.
This requires identification, development and analysis of policy instruments in order to manage the impacts of the foreseeable changes in the carbon emissions and sequestration. Within the whole, complex carbon cycle, forestry in the broad sense forms one of the principal scientific areas for research since it may address both emissions (sources) through deforestation and sequestration (sinks). Afforestation, reforestation and deforestation are the current Kyoto focal areas, but sustainable forest management, including certification, and the assessment and prevention of forest degradation should also be considered in the so-called post-Kyoto period (see e.g., the proposal on Reducing Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation, REDD). Due to size, inaccessibility of the forest resources, and international requirements for a uniform methodology, quantification of the carbon cycle components in both space and time leans heavily on remote sensing, GIS modeling and related statistical tools.
2. General information
The course is part of the internet based programme ‘GIS and Earth Observation for Environmental modeling and Natural resource management’ (iGEON). The course is an elective course for the double degree: Master of Science in Geographical Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, Faculty ITC, the Netherlands and Master of Science in Geographical Information Science of Lund University, Sweden. The course is also given as a single subject course. The language of instruction is English. The course is fully based on distance learning, with all material distributed over the Internet. It is flexible in the sense that students can study full time (100%), half time (50%), or with a 25% study tempo.
The course is to a large extent similar to the on-campus elective course for a Master of Science degree in Geographical Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, Faculty ITC, Department of Natural Resources, the Netherlands.
3. Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to:
- Understand carbon cycle, its relation to climate change and climate change impacts;
- Assess and estimate forest and other vegetation biomass and carbon;
- detect, monitor and model deforestation and forest degradation;
- model biomass from vegetation types of forest tree-based eco system and consequently model sequestrated carbon;
- model forest fire behavior and consequently carbon emission;
- Understand how deforestation, forest degradation, carbon sequestration and carbon emission affect climate change;
- Understand the principles of SAR imaging system and LIDAR sensor system;
- Use radar and LIDAR and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle images for modeling and mapping carbon and consequently model carbon.
4. Course contents
The application of optical and SAR Remote Sensing and GIS is an advanced subject introduces the principles of optical sensor system and Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging Systems.
The course consists of the following topics:
- Introduction of the climate change process, carbon cycle, climate change impact and the role and effects of Deforestation and Forest Degradation (DD) on carbon and climate change. Assessment of deforestation impact.
- Introduction of the relationships between biophysical parameters (e.g. biomass) of forest, agriculture crops and other vegetation types such as grass, shrubs and wetland and optical remote sensing.
- Application of geo-information applications for detecting, monitoring and modeling deforestation and forest degradation.
- Assessment of landscape level carbon stock and biomass, including the modeling of biomass from all agro-ecological system (e.g. forest, agriculture, grass, shrubs and wetland vegetation) .
- Methods and techniques of modeling carbon and carbon sequestration using Radar
- Modeling forest fire behavior and techniques to calculate carbon emission (CE) from forest fire.
- Effects of landuse change on carbon emission and climate change
- Use of radar and airborne LIDAR data for modelling carbon.
- Modelling biomass and carbon with UAV images
5. Teaching and assessment
Teaching / learning method:
- Lectures
- Individual exercises and case studies
- Self study
Summative assessment (examination) of theory and assessment of practical work.
6. Grades
Students are graded for the course with a grade between 10 and 100. 60 is the pass mark.
In order to pass the course the student is required to have passed the exam and all compulsory exercises, including 3 graded exercises..
The final grade for the course is determined by the result of the written exam and 3 practical exercises.
7. Entrance requirements
The following are required for admission to the course: Basic admission requirements of Faculty ITC, and basic GIS and remote sensing corresponding to iGEON compulsory courses of semester 1 and 2 (35 ECTS).
8. Literature
RS/GIS background.
supporting textbooks:
- Reader: Principles and Application of Imaging Radar (Henderson and Lewis 1998).
- Reader: Measurements and Estimations of Forest Stands Parameters Using Remote Sensing (Stellingwerf and Hussin, 1997).