Remote-Sensed Evidence of Fire Alleviating Forest Canopy Water Stress Under a Drying Climate

Le Thai Son; Bernard Dell; Richard Harper

doi:10.3390/rs17121979

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Remote-Sensed Evidence of Fire Alleviating Forest Canopy Water Stress Under a Drying Climate

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Remote-Sensed Evidence of Fire Alleviating Forest Canopy Water Stress Under a Drying Climate

Le Thai Son, Bernard Dell and Richard Harper

Remote sensing (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.17(12), 1979

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17121979

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Abstract

Annual rainfall

Biodiversity

Burning

Burns

Canopies

Climate adaptation

Climate change

Drought

Dry season

Ecosystems

Eucalyptus

Forest & brush fires

Forest ecosystems

Forest management

Forests

Hydrology

Landsat

Prescribed fire

Rain

Remote sensing

Terrestrial ecosystems

Vegetation

Water

Water shortages

Water stress

Wildfires

Fire is a distinctive factor in forest ecosystems. While uncontrolled wildfires can cause significant damage, prescribed burning is widely used as a management tool. However, despite the growing threat of forest water stress under climate change, there is a lack of concrete evidence on the impact of fire on water stress in forest ecosystems. This study utilized Landsat time-series remote sensing data combined with the Infrared Canopy Dryness Index (ICDI) to monitor changes in canopy dryness patterns across the eucalyptus-dominated Northern Jarrah Forest of southwestern Australia. The forest was chosen due to its exposure to a changing climate characterized by decreasing rainfall and more frequent droughts, signs of water stress in otherwise drought-resilient trees, and its well-documented fire management history. Analysis of ICDI patterns over the period from 1988 to 2024 revealed a clear overall trend of increasing water stress, coinciding with a small overall decline in annual rainfall in the 10,000 km2 study area. Furthermore, by examining five prescribed burns and five wildfires, we found that NDVI-assessed canopy cover recovered rapidly in fire-affected areas, typically within one to three years, depending on fire severity. However, ICDI water stress levels were reduced for approximately 7–8 years following low-severity prescribed burns and more than 20 years after high-severity wildfires. These findings suggest the potential of prescribed burning as a tool to mitigate water stress in vulnerable forest landscapes, particularly in regions prone to drought and climate change. Additionally, the study underscores the effectiveness of the ICDI in monitoring forest water stress and its potential for broader applications in forest management and climate adaptation strategies.

Details

Title: Remote-Sensed Evidence of Fire Alleviating Forest Canopy Water Stress Under a Drying Climate
Authors/Creators: Le Thai Son
Bernard Dell
Richard Harper - Murdoch University, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation
Publication Details: Remote sensing (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.17(12), 1979
Publisher: MDPI AG
Number of pages: 20
Identifiers: 991005790672807891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Crop and Food Innovation; Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability; School of Agricultural Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Source: InCites

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.40 Forestry; 3.40.1598 Wildfire Dynamics
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary; Imaging Science & Photographic Technology; Remote Sensing
ESI research areas: Geosciences