BRAZIL NUT MAPPING AND EFFECTS ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES IN THE AMAZON USING REMOTE SENSING

The Amazon is a megadiverse system with the potential to dramatically and irreversibly affect global climate and biogeochemical processes. Herein, we present the preliminary results of using remote sensing to understand the dynamics and functions of hyper-dominant trees in the Amazon such as the Brazil nut. First, we examine whether optical remote sensing data collected with Sentinel2 sensors enables differentiating Brazil nut from its surroundings. Second, we examine whether remotely-sensed trait estimates (as a measure of biodiversity) differ for Brazil nut. Finally, we examine whether important ecosystem service properties such as ET or land surface temperature (LST) differ when Brazil nut is present. These first results will enable to assess whether indeed Brazil nut has the potential to change major ecosystem and biodiversity processes as well as shedding light on how long-term human presence may have been driving earth system processes and dynamics.