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Modeling instream temperature from solar insolation under varying timber harvesting intensities using RPAS laser
Leanna A Stackhouse1, Nicholas C Coops1, Spencer Dakin Kuiper1
1Department of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
The Science of the Total Environment
|December 20, 2023
Summary
Maintaining forest buffers along streams is crucial for regulating water temperatures and protecting fish populations from climate warming impacts. Timber harvesting can significantly increase stream temperatures, especially with clearcutting.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Forestry
- Ecology
Background:
- Rising stream temperatures due to climate warming threaten freshwater ecosystems.
- Forest management practices, including riparian buffer zones, aim to mitigate these impacts.
- Timber harvesting in British Columbia (BC) is regulated by buffer zones of varying widths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate solar insolation and its relationship with stream temperatures.
- To simulate the impact of different timber harvesting intensities on stream temperatures.
- To assess the effectiveness of riparian buffers in maintaining cool stream temperatures.
Main Methods:
- Airborne laser scanning (ALS) data from a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) were used to derive forest canopy characteristics.
- Solar insolation was estimated for five stream reaches in coastal temperate forests.
- Empirical relationships between insolation and measured stream temperatures were established.
Main Results:
- Modeled solar insolation explained 43-90% of the variation in observed stream temperatures.
- Simulated timber harvesting generally increased maximum stream temperatures by 1-2°C.
- A clearcut scenario resulted in a maximum temperature increase of 5.8°C.
Conclusions:
- Retaining riparian vegetation is vital for maintaining habitable stream temperatures for fish.
- RPAS-based monitoring is a feasible method for assessing stream shading and canopy cover.
- Effective riparian management is essential for mitigating climate change effects on freshwater ecosystems.
