Quantifying Carbon in Savannas: The Role of Active Sensors in Measurements of Tree Structure and Biomass

Savannas occupy approximately 20% (depending on definition) of the global land surface and occur largely in the tropics and subtropics. Most occupy seasonal environments where average monthly temperatures exceed 18°C and annual precipitation is relative low (<600 mm) and seasonal. Savannas are structurally diverse ecosystems in terms of the varying proportions, spatial distributions and architectures of tree, shrub, and grass cover. Where savannas are wooded, tree density varies primarily with mean annual rainfall; and these ecosystems merge with closed canopy forest and semidesert in moister and drier regions, respectively.