Scientists build matching 3D laser maps of European forests
Herrmann M, Derenthal M, Schmidt-Riese EA, Stellmes M, Janoutová R
Forest Ecology
The next time you walk through a forest, know that scientists can now digitally recreate every tree's height, trunk size, and canopy shape down to the centimeter, then compare that forest directly to ones in Norway or Spain using the exact same measuring stick.
Researchers used a laser scanner to create detailed 3D digital copies of 121 forest plots spread across Germany, Czechia, Spain, and Norway. Because every team used the identical scanner and processing method, scientists can now directly compare how forest structure differs between regions, which helps them understand carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and how forests respond to their environment. The dataset includes tree height, trunk width, and species type for every measured tree, all freely available for other researchers to use.
Key Findings
121 forest plots (each 50m x 50m) were scanned across five regions in Germany, Czechia, Spain (Galicia and La Palma), and Norway using the identical RIEGL VZ-400i scanner and protocol
Each plot yields a 1cm-resolution 3D point cloud plus tree-level data including diameter at breast height, tree height, and deciduous/coniferous identity
Standardized methodology across all sites enables direct cross-ecosystem comparisons that were previously complicated by inconsistent acquisition protocols
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists scanned 121 forest plots across five European regions with identical laser-scanning equipment and methods, creating a rare apples-to-apples dataset of forest 3D structure that researchers everywhere can use to compare ecosystems and track carbon storage and biodiversity.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Standardized terrestrial laser scanning dataset of forests: 3D point clouds and tree-level attributes from 121 plots across five European regions.
Forest structure strongly influences ecological processes, drives biodiversity patterns and habitat availability, and is directly linked to carbon storage. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) enables ...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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