ABSTRACT
Forests store about three-quarters of all carbon stocks in vegetation in the terrestrial biosphere and harbor an array of organisms that comprise most of this carbon (IPCC 2000). The distribution of carbon and biodiversity in forests is spatially and temporally heterogeneous. The complex, 3D arrangement of plant species and their tissues has always challenged field-based studies of forests. Remote sensing has long endeavored to address these challenges by mapping the cover, structure, composition, and functional attributes of forests, and new approaches are continually being developed to increase the breadth and accuracy of remote measurements.
