Using bi-temporal lidar to evaluate canopy structure and ecotone influence on Landsat vegetation index trends within a boreal wetland complex

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dc.contributor.authorAslami, Farnoosh
dc.contributor.authorHopkinson, Christopher
dc.contributor.authorChasmer, Laura
dc.contributor.authorMahoney, Craig
dc.contributor.authorPeters, Daniel L.
dc.date.accessioned2025-06-16T21:54:22Z
dc.date.available2025-06-16T21:54:22Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.descriptionOpen access article. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0) applies
dc.description.abstractWetland ecosystems are sensitive to climate variation, yet tracking vegetation type and structure changes through time remains a challenge. This study examines how Landsat-derived vegetation indices (NDVI and EVI) correspond with lidar-derived canopy height model (CHM) changes from 2000 to 2018 across the wetland landscape of the Peace–Athabasca Delta (PAD), Canada. By comparing CHM change and NDVI and EVI trends across woody and herbaceous land covers, this study fills a gap in understanding long-term vegetation responses in northern wetlands. Findings show that ~35% of the study area experienced canopy growth, while 2% saw a reduction in height. CHM change revealed 11% ecotonal expansion, where shrub and treed swamps encroached on meadow and marsh areas. NDVI and EVI correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with CHM, particularly in shrub swamps (r2 = 0.40, 0.35) and upland forests (NDVI r2 = 0.37). However, EVI trends aligned more strongly with canopy expansion, while NDVI captured mature tree height growth and wetland drying, indicated by rising land surface temperatures (LST). These results highlight the contrasting responses of NDVI and EVI—NDVI being more sensitive to moisture-related changes such as wetland drying, and EVI aligning more closely with canopy structural changes—emphasizing the value of combining lidar and satellite indices to monitor wetland ecosystems in a warming climate.
dc.description.peer-reviewYes
dc.identifier.citationAslami, F., Hopkinson, C., Chasmer L., Mahoney, C., & Peters, D. L. (2025). Using bi-temporal lidar to evaluate canopy structure and ecotone influence on Landsat vegetation index trends within a boreal wetland complex. Applied Sciences, 15(9), Article 4653. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15094653
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/7056
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Geography and Environment
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Science
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Lethbridge
dc.publisher.institutionGovernment of Alberta, Environment and Parks
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Victoria
dc.publisher.urlhttps://doi.org/10.3390/app15094653
dc.subjectLidar
dc.subjectCanopy height model
dc.subjectEnhanced vegetation index
dc.subjectNormalized difference vegetation index
dc.subjectTrend analysis
dc.subjectBoreal
dc.subjectPeace-Athabasca Delta
dc.subjectWetland
dc.subject.lcshOptical radar
dc.subject.lcshWetlands
dc.subject.lcshVegetation surveys--Alberta--Peace-Athabasca Delta
dc.subject.lcshPeace-Athabasca Delta (Alta.)
dc.titleUsing bi-temporal lidar to evaluate canopy structure and ecotone influence on Landsat vegetation index trends within a boreal wetland complex
dc.typeArticle
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