Digital Hemispherical Photography from Robson Creek Rainforest

Digital Hemispherical Photography (DHP) images are collected twice per year at the Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite to capture seasonal vegetation and crown cover. The images are used to estimate maximum and minimum Leaf Area Index (LAI) for a 25-hectare rainforest site established in 2009. The site contains 208 species with an average canopy height of 28 meters.

Use Cases

• Estimate seasonal Leaf Area Index (LAI) by analyzing wet and dry season DHP images to track rainforest canopy dynamics.
• Analyze vegetation and crown cover changes over time using the biannual DHP image collection schedule.
• Correlate canopy structure from DHP images with on-site forest measurements, such as the 208 recorded species and canopy heights ranging from 23 to 44 meters.

Strengths

• Images are collected twice per year, providing seasonal coverage for wet and dry periods.
• Data originates from a long-term ecological research site established in 2009 within a World Heritage Area.
• Site characterization includes specific metrics: 208 species, average canopy height of 28m, and a 25-hectare area.

Limitations

• The dataset's exact size, number of images, and specific file formats for the DHP images are not specified.
• Data is tied to a single geographic location (Robson Creek), limiting broader ecological generalization.
• The lack of defined columns or structured metadata may complicate automated analysis.

Provenance

Source

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's Data Discovery

Collection Method

Digital Hemispherical Photography (DHP) images are collected twice per year at the end of the wet and dry seasons.

Time Range

Collection began in 2009 and is ongoing with biannual updates.

Freshness

Data is updated biannually, with the last metadata update recorded in March 2026.

Geography

Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite, Danbulla National Park, Atherton Tablelands, Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Australia (680-740 m elevation).