Monitoring vegetation parameters: current status and developments from the ICOS Research Infrastructure.
by Dr. Bert Gielen, Prof. Dario Papale, Dr. Maarten Op de Beeck, Dr. Fana Michilsens

Abstract

The Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) is a European Research Infrastructure for quantifying and understanding the greenhouse gas balance of the European continent, and it includes a large network of in-situ stations monitoring the three major components (Atmosphere, Ecosystems, Oceans) of the earth system. The Ecosystems Thematic Centre (ETC) coordinates the activities of the ICOS ecosystem network of stations, 80+ operational monitoring sites spread across the European continent over a large variety of terrestrial ecosystems (forests, cropland, grassland, mires and shrublands). In addition to the continuously measured GHGs exchanges and meteorological parameters, a vast set of ecological and eco-physiological vegetation related variables are collected on a regular basis at each station. Amongst these variables, quantities such as the Leaf Area Index (LAI), the Aboveground Biomass, the Below Canopy PAR or the species composition are monitored following standard protocols that have been developed by experts from the in-situ community. However, in some cases these protocols do not match the requirements coming from the CalVal satellite community regarding methodology, the time resolution of measurements, the spatial scale or the calibration requirements. It is thus important to evaluate the possible adaptation of methodology and other requirements are needed in order to unlock the potential of the ICOS in-situ network for Cal/Val activities. This communication will focus on the current status and the new developments of the vegetation monitoring in the ICOS ecosystem component in relation to the CalVal activities, with specific examples of measurement uncertainty versus spatial variability that should be carefully considered.