Unveiling the complex canopy spatial structure of a Mediterranean old-growth beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest from UAV observations

A Mediterranean old-growth beech forest within the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe' exhibits a complex canopy structure characterized by a bimodal height distribution, with the upper layer (h > 14 m) dominating. The study, conducted using UAV-based digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP), identified 551 gaps across 11.5 ha, most being <100 m² and clustered, reflecting natural ecosystem processes. The findings highlight the forest's high integrity compared to managed woodlands and demonstrate that low-cost UAV-DAP can generate fine-scale canopy attributes, offering a practical tool for monitoring UNESCO World Heritage sites or other old-growth forests.

Solano, F., Modica, G., Praticò, S., Box, O. F., & Piovesan, G. (2022). Unveiling the complex canopy spatial structure of a Mediterranean old-growth beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest from UAV observations. Ecological Indicators, 138, 108807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108807