Remote sensing of periurban forest vegetation biophysical variables using time-series MODIS satellite data

Forest protection represents one of the most important aim involving practical aspects of pest prevention and control, as well as aspects of fundamental and applicative scientific research to find the best solutions for maintain-ing the appropriate fitosanitary condition of the national public forest area in Romania. Changes in the atmospheric abundance of greenhouse gases and aerosols, in solar radiation and in land surface properties alter the energy balance of the climate system. These changes are expressed in terms of radiative forcing, which is used to compare how a range of human and natural factors drive warming or cooling influences on regional and global climate. Given the ability to de-fine vegetation and land cover at the site level based on attributes such as physiognomy, horizontal and vertical struc-ture, vegetation phenology and leaf morphology, direct parameterisation and mapping using remotely sensed data can enhance the ability to characterize and monitor these important biogeophysical parameters. A study testing the role of satellite remote sensing multispectral data for monitoring biophysical parameters was conducted over a periurban for-ested area Cernica- Branesti, placed North - Eastern part of Bucharest town, Romania. Based on MODIS Terra/Aqua and IKONOS images over 2001-2014 period, have been derived forest vegetation biophysical parameters. The analysis of time series daily MODIS Terra/Aqua satellite data shows strong seasonal dynamics of surface reflectance of green, near infrared and shortwave infrared bands, and clearly delineate leaf phenology and length of plant growing season for a temperate deciduous broadleaf forest.