Articles | Volume 22, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Jan 2025
Research article |
| 03 Jan 2025
| 03 Jan 2025
Enhancing environmental models with a new downscaling method for global radiation in complex terrain
URFM, INRAE, Avignon, France
Julien Ruffault
URFM, INRAE, Avignon, France
Hendrik Davi
URFM, INRAE, Avignon, France
André Chanzy
UMR 1114 EMMAH, INRAE, Avignon University, Avignon, France
Olivier Marloie
URFM, INRAE, Avignon, France
Miquel De Cáceres
CREAF, Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
Albert Olioso
URFM, INRAE, Avignon, France
Florent Mouillot
UMR 5175 CEFE, Montpellier University, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
Christophe François
UMR 8079 ESE, UPS, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
Kamel Soudani
UMR 8079 ESE, UPS, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
Nicolas K. Martin-StPaul
URFM, INRAE, Avignon, France
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Biogeosciences, 18, 621–635, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-621-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-621-2021, 2021
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Understory vegetation is the most diverse, least understood component of forests worldwide. Understory communities are important drivers of overstory succession and nutrient cycling. Multi-angle remote sensing enables us to describe surface properties by means that are not possible when using mono-angle data. Evaluated over an extensive set of forest ecosystem experimental sites in Europe, our reported method can deliver good retrievals, especially over different forest types with open canopies.
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Short summary
Accurate radiation data are essential for understanding ecosystem functions and dynamics. Traditional large-scale data lack the precision needed for complex terrain. This study introduces a new model, which accounts for sub-daily direct and diffuse radiation effects caused by terrain features, to enhance the radiation data resolution using elevation maps. Tested on a mountainous area, this method significantly improved radiation estimates, benefiting predictions of forest functions.
Accurate radiation data are essential for understanding ecosystem functions and dynamics....
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