Department Seminar: Elsa Ordway

Title: Leveraging remote sensing to understand tropical ecosystems in a changing world

Abstract: The tropics are experiencing dramatic changes as a result of climate change and land-use change. Shifts in carbon flux dynamics, water cycling, and species composition are resulting in feedbacks with globally important consequences. However, tropical forests are not a monolith. They vary enormously in terms of species diversity, climate, soils, human impact, and much more. As a result, tropical forest ecosystems will almost certainly vary in their responses to climate change and land-use change. Yet, these differences remain highly uncertain and poorly understood. I will describe several ways that remote sensing can address these knowledge gaps, particularly when integrated with in situ observations, local knowledge, and modeling.