Understanding phenological changes of coniferous forests in Cyprus using time-series of SAR data from 2015 till 2020

Abstract

Recent reports stressed the vulnerability of the forest ecosystem in the European Union (EU), especially to the south [1] [2]. Climate change alters our environment by shifting weather conditions, rising sea levels, increasing flood risks and threatening food production. Shoukri and Zachariadis, 2012, highlighted that Mediterranean Europe is expected to experience the most adverse climate change effects compared to other European regions [3]. Furthermore, Cleland et al., 2017 showed that climate change confers shifts to blooming time [4]. According to Wolkovich et al., 2012, the phenological responses (i.e., alternations in blooming timing) of plants to warmer conditions are unpredicted [5]. According to the US committee on phenology, phenology is "the study of the timing of recurring biological events, the causes of their timing with regard to biotic and abiotic forces and the interactions among phases of the same or different species"[6]. This includes structural changes – e.g., relating to how leaves of trees change seasonally – that can be identified by observing the backscattered coefficient of SAR data. The overarching aim of this study is to understand the phenological changes of a coniferous forest over time in Cyprus by analysing time series of SAR data