Aboveground biomass estimation using Landsat TM data in the Brazilian Amazon

The complicated forest stand structure and associated abundant tree species in the Amazon often induce difficulty in estimating above ground biomass (AGB) using remotely sensed data. This paper explores AGB estimation using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data in the eastern and western Brazilian Amazon, and discusses the impacts of forest stand structure on AGB estimation. Estimating AGB is still a challenging task, especially for the sites with complicated biophysical environments. The TM spectral responses are more suitable for AGB estimation in the sites with relatively simple forest stand structure than for the sites with complicated forest stand structure. Conversely, textures appear more important than spectral responses in AGB estimation in the sites with complicated forest stand structure. A combination of spectral responses and textures improves AGB estimation performance. Different study areas having various biophysical conditions affect AGB estimation performance.