Multispectral Remote Sensing Data Application in Modelling Non-Extensive Tsallis Thermodynamics for Mountain Forests
Robert Sandlersky1,2, Nataliya Petrzhik1, Tushigma Jargalsaikhan3
1V.N. Sukachev Laboratory of Biogeocenology, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 33, 119071 Moscow, Russia.
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 23, 2023
Summary
Mongolian forests are vulnerable to climate change. This study uses remote sensing and thermodynamics to analyze ecosystem energy and organization, revealing forests use less energy for productivity than meadows.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Thermodynamics
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- Mongolian montane forests face extinction risk due to climate change.
- Understanding ecosystem dynamics is crucial for sustainable development and conservation efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess spatiotemporal fluctuations in energy budget and organizational parameters in Mongolian mountain taiga-meadow landscapes.
- To identify distinct ecosystem states and predict future landscape dynamics using Tsallis non-extensive thermodynamics.
- To evaluate the vulnerability of Mongolian montane forests to climate change.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Landsat 8 OLI TIRS multispectral remote sensing data (2013-2021).
- Applied Tsallis non-extensive thermodynamics to analyze absorbed solar energy budget and organizational parameters.
- Employed principal component analysis to identify functional subsystems (evapotranspiration, heat dissipation, structural-informational).
Main Results:
- Identified three functional subsystems governing landscape cover states: evapotranspiration, heat dissipation, and bioproductivity.
- Categorized ecosystems into discrete states and transitional zones, enabling prediction of future landscape dynamics.
- Northern Mongolian montane forests exhibit lower energy utilization for productivity compared to alpine meadows.
Conclusions:
- Montane forests are more vulnerable to climate change due to less efficient energy use for productivity.
- The applied thermodynamic approach enhances understanding of ecosystem functioning and resilience.
- Findings provide a basis for evaluating the resilience of Mongolian ecosystems under climate change.
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