Understanding the linkages between climate change and forest

Abstract

The present study reviews the application of various regional climate models and remote sensing techniques to understand and define impacts of climate change on the forest resources with specific reference to India. It illustrates the potentials and limitations of regional climate models, vegetation models and remote sensing techniques like normalized difference vegetation index time-series analysis, change detection method and phenological attributes in assessing and monitoring the impacts of climate change on vegetation. The study recommends that regional climate models and remote sensing techniques need to be integrated in tandem for understanding the present and future impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems. This could help to improve the accuracy and prediction, which can contribute to planning effective adaptation strategies in the forestry sector.