The majority of carbon emissions come from indirect sources. Often, the carbon footprint, cannot be determined with high accuracy, because one cannot know exactly the high amount of data resulted from the interactions between different factors involved in this processes. The LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology has been emerging lately, becoming more and more prevalent in more and more fields, starting from fundamental scientific research and going to application solutions in areas such as: environmental and biodiversity assessment, agriculture and precision forestry, heritage inventory and archeology, etc. This technology involves the use of a set of sensors that use laser beams in combination with GPS recordings. The ability to provide highly accurate information, giving the possibility of developing analytical models, makes it possible to use this technology in the calculation of ecosystem carbon footprint. A case study presenting an analysis of the structure of biostructures within a degraded forest ecosystem has been presented whose variations in development may be the response to the presence of limiting factors that betray the distribution and concentration of some pollutants. The habitat mapping methodology involved the creation of a GIS map, starting from satellite images, aerophotograms and detailed aerophotograms made with the help of drones. The modality of making the cartograms took into account the aimed detail (the target granulation) that was established taking into account the ecological-target traits associated with each criterion element that was the basis of the site designation. Given that the installation of the forest would have been successfully carried out, on the entire surface, ensuring a consistent density and a complete coverage degree, the potential for the presence of C at this level would have been approximately 4 times higher. Evaluating a possible ecological restoration scenario, the real potential of the ecological ecosystem services of the analyzed perimeter is foreshadowed, thus facilitating a calculation of the carbon footprint generated by the existing historical pollution.

accurate information, case study, forest, pollutant

environmental engineering

Presentation: poster