PhD: Extending global forest carbon models based on LIDAR from tropics to other bioregions
School of Natural Sciences
Bangor University
I am PhD student at the University of Bangor, within the school of Natural Sciences, researching forest carbon models using LiDAR, with the aim of extending these models beyond the tropics. My undergraduate degree was in Physical Geography at the University of Leicester. It was here I developed a strong interest in remote sensing and earth observation. This culminated in my dissertation project focusing on analysing strain rates over the Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland, and how they changed in relation to sea and air temperatures, using Landsat imagery. During my course I also developed my knowledge on climate change, both in the past and present, inspiring me to pursue research in an effect help in some way to mitigate the possible effects of rapid climate change.
PhD Project
The project aims to create models based upon tree allometry, to estimate forest carbon stocks in biomes other than the tropics, using LiDAR (light detection and ranging). This will require the adaptation of current methods to the context of LiDAR, through working with population level models from individual tree allometry and reverting the formulation of tree-diameter models. The importance of the extension of these models globally being within the context of climate change mitigation through the global market of carbon credits to pay for those who plant, grow and preserve forests. This said, the outcome of the project will be a further universalised method for carbon accounting using LiDAR, being additional impactful given that a new satellite LiDAR system has recently become operational.