Satellite and LiDAR imagery for canopy height and NDVI estimation for mangroves in Puerto Rico

Mangroves are critically important ecosystems that are highly vulnerable to hurricanes. This study investigated the effect of Hurricane Maria on mangrove canopy heights at two sites in Puerto Rico and assessed their subsequent recovery using remote sensing techniques. The two sites were La Paguera in the southwest and the Northeast Ecological Corridor in the northeast of Puerto Rico. Remote sensing techniques, including Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and satellite imagery, were utilized to provide precise, large-scale assessments of canopy height changes and vegetation recovery over time. The findings reveal a significant reduction in canopy height immediately following the hurricane, with the Northeast Corridor experiencing more severe damage than La Paguera. Post-hurricane recovery, assessed through Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis, shows varying degrees of vegetation health improvement, with some areas exhibiting canopy heights or vegetation health metrics surpassing pre-hurricane conditions. Variation in recovery appeared to be related to pre-storm canopy height and ancillary human disturbances. This study illustrates the power of remote sensing techniques to characterize patterns and mechanisms of damage and recovery that underlie the resilience of mangrove ecosystems to extreme weather events.