From trees to ecosystems: linking remote sensing and dendrochronology in the highest elevation forests in Mexico

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Tree-ring measurements are usually collected at discrete spatial locations; remote sensing data provide a new, exciting tool to scale up ecological information across spatiotemporal scales. In this presentation, I will provide three examples integrating physiological variables (e.g., stable isotope ratios in tree rings), spatial canopy status (e.g., normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI), and anatomical wood properties (e.g., minimum earlywood or maximum latewood density) with traditional tree-ring measurements. I will focus on the relationship between tree-ring data and a vegetation index derived from remotely sensed information across the highest elevation forests in central Mexico. This region presents an opportunity to assess and predict the response of high-elevation forests to climate variability and rising CO₂ levels, along with the potential biogeochemical consequences of those responses. As a promising area for future research, I will demonstrate the importance of carbon uptake during the previous growing season (i.e., legacy effect) in tree growth variation over time and space.