Mediterranean vegetation monitoring by remotely sensed data: LAI retrieval and vegetation trend analysis within two forested areas in southern italy

The object of the research was twofold: 1) The production of LAI (Leaf Area Index) distribution maps of two Mediterranean forested areas by means of satellite data, to this aim, high resolution IKONOS-2 and medium resolution LANDSAT-TM data were used, and their results compared, the choice to focus on LAI derives from the paramount role this vegetation biophysical, parameter plays in many climate and ecological models, since it is a control variable of important processes such as canopy radiation interception, evapotranspiration and net photosynthesis; 2) A trend analysis, within the same study areas, aimed at improving our understanding of Mediterranean forests response to changing climatic conditions. A yearly series of landsat satellite data and local climatic measurements over a time span of twenty years (1984-2005) were processed and compared in order to evaluate possible relationships between inter-annual variations of vegetation (as expressed by landsat-derived spectral vegetation indices) and related meteorological parameters.