Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions

Dear Colleagues,

As globalization and urbanization accelerate, urban environments face numerous challenges, including deteriorating air quality, intensified urban heat island effects, and degradation of ecosystem services. These environmental issues not only impact the sustainability of cities but also pose serious threats to the health and well-being of residents. As a crucial component of urban ecosystems, urban forests play an irreplaceable role in addressing the myriad environmental problems caused by rapid urbanization. Urban forests have many ecological functions, such as air purification, absorbing pollutants, producing oxygen, and effectively regulating urban climates. Additionally, urban forests provide valuable habitats for various organisms, enhancing urban biodiversity and offering necessary recreational spaces for city dwellers. However, compared to natural forests, urban forests, as a complex of artificial and natural ecosystems, exhibit various unique characteristics such as high fragmentation and habitat separation. These features make the study and management of urban forests more challenging. Current research on the ecological functions of urban forests often relies on traditional methods such as point measurements or field surveys. While these methods provide valuable data, they are limited by data discontinuity and low spatial precision. With the advancement of remote sensing technology, using remote sensing data for studying the structure and functions of urban forests has become increasingly important. Remote sensing enables extensive, high-frequency observations, allowing for continuous monitoring of urban forests. This technology aids in accurately reflecting changes in the structure and ecological functions of urban forests. However, how to use remote sensing to obtain the urban forest structures and their ecological functions is still poorly understood.

We are pleased to propose publishing a Topic titled "Remote Sensing of Urban Forests and Their Ecological Functions". We welcome researchers to submit their work on remote sensing monitoring of urban forests, assessment of urban forest structure, and spatial pattern of ecological functions. Through this research, we aim to deepen the scientific understanding of the ecological functions of urban forests and explore the application of remote sensing technologies in urban forest management. This is an excellent opportunity for researchers engaged in urban forestry ecology to exchange ideas and expand their current knowledge of urban forests and their ecological functions. We sincerely invite submissions on any of the above topics. Please contact us if you are interested in this Topic or have any questions.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• The Relationship between Urban Forests and Human Well-being
• Response of urban forests or trees to urban stressed environment
• Remote sensing of urban forest structure
• Remote sensing of urban forest diversity
• Remote sensing of urban wetland
• Spatiotemporal estimation of urban ecosystems functions by remote sensing
• The Impact of Urbanization on the Structure and Ecological Functions of Urban Forests
• The Multifunctionality of Urban Forest Landscapes and Its Associated driving Factors.

Dr. Zhibin Ren
Dr. Sheng Xu
Dr. Mingming Jia
Dr. Chunlin Li
Topic Editors