NI: Network for Monitoring Canopy Temperature of Forests - netCTF
Lead Research Organisation:
Plymouth University
Department Name: Sch of Geog Earth & Environ Sciences
Abstract
Forests are a critical component of the global carbon cycle because they take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis, and store the carbon in wood and soil. All living things in forests also produce carbon dioxide through respiration as an inevitable consequence of sustaining themselves and growing. At present, forests take in more carbon dioxide than they release, helping to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere, but this 'free gift' from forests is not guaranteed to continue at its current rate indefinitely under climate change. As well as the carbon cycle, forests are also crucial in the water cycle as trees pump water from the soil into the atmosphere.
Leaves are the key part of the plant that regulates the exchange of gases (water, carbon dioxide) with the atmosphere. The pores in the leaf surface (stomata) are important for water loss and temperature control as well as the entry of carbon dioxide. Leaves exposed to direct sunlight can be more than ten degrees hotter than the air, even in temperate latitudes. Leaf temperature is important because many biological processes, including photosynthesis and respiration, are sensitive to temperature; very high temperatures can cause immediate and acute damage to leaves. Over the coming century, we expect carbon dioxide concentrations and air temperatures to continue to rise. When trees are grown in higher carbon dioxide concentrations, stomata close and limit water loss; this prevents the plant dehydrating but also reduces how much leaves can cool down. However, there is limited monitoring on forest canopy temperatures, and limiting understanding on how different species and forests in different climate zones are responding to climate change. This project will build a global network of researchers working to measure forest canopy temperatures using thermal infrared cameras, which will provide both greater understanding and also a crucial data resource for scientists in other disciplines to utilise.
The network will ensure that the data collected by separate groups are comparable, and aid data processing and analysis by providing clear guidance and tools. This is will encourage other researchers to take up use of thermal infrared cameras, the analysis of which can be challenging. Our network will monitor canopy temperatures at fourteen sites in tropical and temperate forests and savannah, in UK, China, India, Australia, Brazil, Peru, Panama, USA, and Ghana. The sites in the UK and Peru will be newly established by this project. Ten sites already have established data collection, while the final two sites (Australia, Ghana) are in development. Having data collected using cameras will allow us to understand not only how forests in different locations are behaving, but also whether and how different species within sites respond. The long-term nature of the project means that seasonal variation will be included, and the forest response to extreme events such as heat waves and droughts will be quantified. Future work will establish in more detail how changes to canopy temperature link to changes in forest carbon and water cycling. Our work providing insight into the response of forest canopies to climate change will inform models produced to assess the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet, which are used to inform global climate change policies. Further, the current global emphasis on mitigating climate change through tree planting makes it crucial to assess how these trees will cope under future conditions.
Leaves are the key part of the plant that regulates the exchange of gases (water, carbon dioxide) with the atmosphere. The pores in the leaf surface (stomata) are important for water loss and temperature control as well as the entry of carbon dioxide. Leaves exposed to direct sunlight can be more than ten degrees hotter than the air, even in temperate latitudes. Leaf temperature is important because many biological processes, including photosynthesis and respiration, are sensitive to temperature; very high temperatures can cause immediate and acute damage to leaves. Over the coming century, we expect carbon dioxide concentrations and air temperatures to continue to rise. When trees are grown in higher carbon dioxide concentrations, stomata close and limit water loss; this prevents the plant dehydrating but also reduces how much leaves can cool down. However, there is limited monitoring on forest canopy temperatures, and limiting understanding on how different species and forests in different climate zones are responding to climate change. This project will build a global network of researchers working to measure forest canopy temperatures using thermal infrared cameras, which will provide both greater understanding and also a crucial data resource for scientists in other disciplines to utilise.
The network will ensure that the data collected by separate groups are comparable, and aid data processing and analysis by providing clear guidance and tools. This is will encourage other researchers to take up use of thermal infrared cameras, the analysis of which can be challenging. Our network will monitor canopy temperatures at fourteen sites in tropical and temperate forests and savannah, in UK, China, India, Australia, Brazil, Peru, Panama, USA, and Ghana. The sites in the UK and Peru will be newly established by this project. Ten sites already have established data collection, while the final two sites (Australia, Ghana) are in development. Having data collected using cameras will allow us to understand not only how forests in different locations are behaving, but also whether and how different species within sites respond. The long-term nature of the project means that seasonal variation will be included, and the forest response to extreme events such as heat waves and droughts will be quantified. Future work will establish in more detail how changes to canopy temperature link to changes in forest carbon and water cycling. Our work providing insight into the response of forest canopies to climate change will inform models produced to assess the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet, which are used to inform global climate change policies. Further, the current global emphasis on mitigating climate change through tree planting makes it crucial to assess how these trees will cope under future conditions.
Organisations
- Plymouth University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Oregon State University (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Collaboration)
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (Collaboration)
- UNEMAT - Nova Xavantina (Collaboration)
- Northern Arizona University (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- Mato Grosso State University (Unemat) (Project Partner)
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (Project Partner)
- University of Exeter (Project Partner)
- Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (Project Partner)
- University of Birmingham (Project Partner)
- IISER, Pune (Indian Inst Sci Edu & Res) (Project Partner)
- James Cook University (Project Partner)
- University of Leeds (Project Partner)
Publications
Araújo I
(2021)
Trees at the Amazonia-Cerrado transition are approaching high temperature thresholds
in Environmental Research Letters
Kitudom N
(2022)
Thermal safety margins of plant leaves across biomes under a heatwave.
in The Science of the total environment
Description | We are bringing together datasets of forest canopy temperature as measured by thermal cameras from forests around the global, including Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America. Some sites are new and have been funded by this grant (in the UK and Ghana). Initial results from the new sites show 1) the impact that elevated CO2 has on oak canopies and 2) different species show different in canopy temperatures. When we combine all the data together, our analysis will show how tree canopies around world differ in their temperature and the relationship between climate conditions and canopy temperatures. This is important to understand how forests are responding to climate change. |
Exploitation Route | The data can be used by two other principal research areas. Firstly, our data can give insight into the controls on forest canopy temperature, which itself is a crucial control on plant processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration. This knowledge gained can be used to improve vegetation models, which contribute to our understanding of climate change. Our data can also be used by the remote sensing community to validate satellite products on land surface temperature. |
Sectors | Environment |
Description | Thus far, the project has been used to form the basis of educational materials developed by the Futurum online educational and careers resource. These materials are available for free from futurumcareers.com and via popular resource sites such as tes.com. The resource produced includes information on the project and activities, and is aimed at 14-19 year olds. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | NERC ARIES DTP |
Amount | £76,500 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2021 |
End | 09/2025 |
Description | NERC Cross Disciplinary Fellowship |
Amount | £6,700 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Plymouth |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2023 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | Forestry Research Institute of Ghana |
Country | Ghana |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune |
Country | India |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | Northern Arizona University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | Oregon State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | UNEMAT - Nova Xavantina |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Department | College of Life and Environmental Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | School of Geography Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | netCTF collaborators |
Organisation | Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden |
Country | China |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I lead the collaboration which is a key part of the project. I am bringing the group together to discuss and develop a global synthesis of data on forest canopy temperatures with an in person meeting in March 2023. My team is bring data from two sites to the group. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners are bringing either data or local site access, plus intellectual contribution. Some partners are also offering to host myself and team for a visit to their institutions. |
Impact | Outputs are in development as the project is still live. We are coming together to discuss challenges and latest results, and bringing the datasets together. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Futurum educational materials |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Approached by educational organisation Futurum to produce educational materials for secondary school pupils. Information sheet and worksheet produced and disseminated online including via UK, EU and USA resource databases. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://futurumcareers.com/monitoring-the-canopy-temperature-of-forests |
Description | Participant at BIFOR-FACE DEFRA visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | DEFRA chief scientific advisor and team visited research facility. I explained to them what my research is focused on and discussed challenges around the research and funding. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |