Measuring Tree Properties and Responses Using Low-Cost Accelerometers

van Emmerik, T.H.M.; Steele-Dunne, S.C.; Hut, R.W.; Gentine, Pierre; Guerin, Marceau; Oliveira, Rafael; Wagner, Jim; Selker, John; van de Giesen, N.C.

doi:10.3390/s17051098

Measuring Tree Properties and Responses Using Low-Cost Accelerometers

Title

Measuring Tree Properties and Responses Using Low-Cost Accelerometers

Author

van Emmerik, T.H.M. (TU Delft Water Resources)
Steele-Dunne, S.C. (TU Delft Water Resources)
Hut, R.W. (TU Delft Water Resources)
Gentine, Pierre
Guerin, Marceau
Oliveira, Rafael
Wagner, Jim
Selker, John
van de Giesen, N.C. (TU Delft Water Resources)

Date

2017-05-11

Abstract

Trees play a crucial role in the water, carbon and nitrogen cycle on local, regional and global scales. Understanding the exchange of momentum, heat, water, and CO 2 between trees and the atmosphere is important to assess the impact of drought, deforestation and climate change. Unfortunately, ground measurements of tree properties such as mass and canopy interception of precipitation are often expensive or difficult due to challenging environments. This paper aims to demonstrate the concept of using robust and affordable accelerometers to measure tree properties and responses. Tree sway is dependent on mass, canopy structure, drag coefficient, and wind forcing. By measuring tree acceleration, we can relate the tree motion to external forcing (e.g., wind, precipitation and related canopy interception) and tree physical properties (e.g., mass, elasticity). Using five months of acceleration data of 19 trees in the Brazilian Amazon, we show that the frequency spectrum of tree sway is related to mass, canopy interception of precipitation, and canopy–atmosphere turbulent exchange.

Subject

hydrology
tree physiology
tree sway
water stress
wind
canopy
Amazon
drag coefficient
climate change
turbulence
interceprtion