title: Global satellite monitoring of climate-induced vegetation disturbances.
abstract: Terrestrial disturbances are accelerating globally, but their full impact is not quantified because we lack an adequate monitoring system. Remote sensing offers a means to quantify the frequency and extent of disturbances globally. Here, we review the current application of remote sensing to this problem and offer a framework for more systematic analysis in the future. We recommend that any proposed monitoring system should not only detect disturbances, but also be able to: identify the proximate cause(s); integrate a range of spatial scales; and, ideally, incorporate process models to explain the observed patterns and predicted trends in the future. Significant remaining challenges are tied to the ecology of disturbances. To meet these challenges, more effort is required to incorporate ecological principles and understanding into the assessments of disturbance worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA. Electronic address: mcdowell@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Nate G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Coops
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy.
authors.forename: Pieter S A
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Earth Science Division, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Chandana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gangodagamage
authors.affiliation: University of Idaho, Department of Geography, Moscow, ID 83844-3021, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hicke
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cho-ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
authors.forename: Dan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Krofcheck
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
authors.forename: Marcy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Litvak
authors.affiliation: University of Idaho, Department of Geography, Moscow, ID 83844-3021, USA.
authors.forename: Arjan J H
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Meddens
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muss
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Earth Science Division, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Robinson
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Negrón-Juarez
authors.affiliation: Center of CEF/ESCER, Department of Biological Science, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada and State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Changhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schwantes
authors.affiliation: Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Swenson
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Louis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Vernon
authors.affiliation: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA.
authors.forename: A Park
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Lab, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Chonggang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Maosheng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, MT 59812, USA.
authors.forename: Steve W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Running
authors.affiliation: United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Jemez Mountain Field Station, Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA.
authors.forename: Craig D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D057231:Climate Change; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology; D018531:Spacecraft
keywords: climate change; die-off; drought; forests; landscape; mortality; satellite