Terrestrial lidar scanning point cloud data was collected at 10 research plots along the forest-tundra ecotone in Alaska's Brooks Range. The data were acquired in June 2016 by ORNL_CLOUD using a Leica ScanStation C10 laser instrument. Processed point spacing is less than 1 centimeter, enabling high-resolution 3D landscape analysis.
Use Cases
- Derive canopy height and gap fraction metrics from the 3D point cloud to analyze forest structure changes across the ecotone.
- Model surface topography and ground elevation from the dense point cloud data to study microtopographic influences on vegetation.
- Calculate leaf area index (LAI) estimates from the spatially resolved point cloud for ecological process modeling.
- Compare structural metrics like stem density and crown volume between plots to quantify the forest-tundra transition.
Strengths
- Point spacing is less than 1 centimeter after processing, enabling high-resolution feature extraction.
- Data covers 10 distinct research plots, providing spatial replication across the ecotone.
Limitations
- Data is from a single collection period in June 2016, lacking temporal dynamics or seasonal comparison.
- Sample size is limited to 10 plots, which may not capture the full heterogeneity of the Brooks Range region.
Provenance
- Source
- ORNL_CLOUD via NASA EarthData
- Collection Method
- Data collected with a Leica ScanStation C10 green wavelength laser instrument from multiple scan positions per plot.
- Time Range
- June 2016
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Brooks Range, Alaska, south of Chandalar Shelf and Atigun Pass, east side of Dalton Highway.