COMBINING GROUND PLOTS AND REMOTE SENSING DATA FOR TROPICAL FORESTS STRUCTURE AND ABOVEGROUND BIOMASS MONITORING IN THE SOUTHWESTERN BRAZILIAN AMAZON

In this study we combine ground plots (PSP) and LiDAR data for forest structure and aboveground biomass (AGB) assessment in a forest area 16 and 20 years after logging. The main results were: i. AGB estimated by the developed AGB LiDAR regression models presented high R2adj (>0.70) and low SE (<25 Mg.ha^-1); ii. the mean AGB to the whole area covered by LiDAR in 2023 (183.9 Mg.ha^-1) was similar to the observed on the PSP (188.4 Mg.ha^-1); iii. forest mean height and canopy cover above 30 m increased and gap’s fraction decrease between the two LiDAR flights; iv. 20 years after logging, the mean canopy height and cover and AGB stocks were higher and gap’s fraction lower in the undisturbed forest and v. the use of the Zenmuse 1 LiDAR sensor coupled to a UAV demonstrate to be versatile and reliable, facilitating its use for forest structural assessment.