Terrestrial Laser Scanning as an Effective Tool to Retrieve Tree Level Height, Crown Width, and Stem Diameter

Accurate measures of forest structural parameters are essential to forest inventory and growth models, managing wildfires, and modeling of carbon cycle. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) fills the gap between tree scale manual measurements and large scale airborne LiDAR measurements by providing accurate below crown information through non-destructive methods. This study developed innovative methods to extract individual tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and crown width of trees in East Texas. Further, the influence of scan settings, such as leaf-on/leaf-off seasons, tree distance from the scanner, and processing choices, on the accuracy of deriving tree measurements were also investigated. DBH was retrieved by cylinder fitting at different height bins. Individual trees were extracted from the TLS point cloud to determine tree heights and crown widths. The R-squared value ranged from 0.91 to 0.97 when field measured DBH was validated against TLS derived DBH using different methods. An accuracy of 92% (RMSE = 1.51 m) was obtained for predicting tree heights. The R-squared value was 0.84 and RMSE was 1.08 m when TLS derived crown widths were validated using field measured crown widths. Examples of underestimations of field measured forest structural parameters due to tree shadowing have also been discussed in this study. The results from this study will benefit foresters and remote sensing studies from airborne and spaceborne platforms, for map upscaling or calibration purposes, for aboveground biomass estimation, and prudent decision making by the forest management.

• Publication year

  2015

• Venue

  Remote Sensing

• Publication date

  2015-02-09

• Fields of study

  Geology, Computer Science, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3390/rs70201877
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Use of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) for monitoring and modelling of geomorphic processes and phenomena at a small and medium spatial scale in Polar environment (Scott River — Spitsbergen)

  2014cited by this paper
• Multi-temporal terrestrial laser scanning for modeling tree biomass change

  2014cited by this paper
• Individual tree biomass estimation using terrestrial laser scanning

  2013cited by this paper
• A meta-analysis of terrestrial aboveground biomass estimation using lidar remote sensing

  2013cited by this paper
• The influence of scan mode and circle fitting on tree stem detection, stem diameter and volume extraction from terrestrial laser scans

  2013cited by this paper
• A New Method for Segmenting Individual Trees from the Lidar Point Cloud

  2012cited by this paper
• The use of terrestrial LiDAR technology in forest science: application fields, benefits and challenges

  2011influential reference
• Retrieving Forest Inventory Variables with Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) in Urban Heterogeneous Forest

  2011influential reference
• Retrieval of forest structural parameters using LiDAR remote sensing

  2010cited by this paper
• Characterizing forest succession with lidar data: An evaluation for the Inland Northwest, USA

  2009cited by this paper
• Ground-based LIDAR: a novel approach to quantify fine-scale fuelbed characteristics

  2009cited by this paper
• Lidar Applications in Precision Forestry

  2009cited by this paper
• Algorithms for Stem Mapping by Means of Terrestrial Laser Scanning

  2009cited by this paper
• Available online at:

  2009cited by this paper
• A Comparison of Individual Tree and Forest Plot Height Derived from Lidar and InSAR

  2009influential reference
• Estimating tree and stand variables in a Corsican Pine woodland from terrestrial laser scanner data

  2009cited by this paper
• A voxel-based lidar method for estimating crown base height for deciduous and pine trees

  2008cited by this paper
• Estimating Basal Area and Stem Volume for Individual Trees from Lidar Data

  2007cited by this paper
• TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING VERSUS TRADITIONAL FOREST INVENTORY FIRST RESULTS FROM THE POLISH FORESTS

  2007cited by this paper
• Estimating biomass of individual pine trees using airborne lidar

  2007cited by this paper
• Influence of measurement set-up of ground-based LiDAR for derivation of tree structure

  2006cited by this paper
• Ground-based Laser Imaging for Assessing Three-dimensional Forest Canopy Structure

  2006cited by this paper
• Investigating laser pulse penetration through a conifer canopy by integrating airborne and terrestrial lidar

  2006cited by this paper
• APPLICATION OF TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNERS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF FOREST INVENTORY PARAMETRS

  2006cited by this paper
• LiDAR A new tool for forest measurements

  2006cited by this paper
• Measuring forest structure with terrestrial laser scanning

  2005cited by this paper
• Laser scanning of forest resources: the nordic experience

  2004cited by this paper
• Assessing forest metrics with a ground-based scanning lidar

  2004influential reference
• Algorithms for the Automatic Detection of Trees in Laser Scanner Data

  2004cited by this paper
• EVALUATION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING FOR STANDARDIZED FOREST INVENTORIES

  2004cited by this paper
• Using airborne and ground-based ranging lidar to measure canopy structure in Australian forests

  2003cited by this paper
• LiDAR remote sensing of forest structure

  2003cited by this paper
• Measuring individual tree crown diameter with lidar and assessing its influence on estimating forest volume and biomass

  2003cited by this paper
• Lidar Remote Sensing for Ecosystem Studies

  2002cited by this paper
• Meeting Global Policy Commitments: Carbon Sequestration and Southern Pine Forests

  2001cited by this paper
• Comparison of direct and indirect estimation of leaf area index in mature Norway spruce stands of eastern Germany

  2000cited by this paper
• Lidar Remote Sensing for Forestry

  2000cited by this paper
• Five instruments for measuring tree height: an evaluation

  1994cited by this paper

• Assessing forest structural complexity: insights from alternative laser scanning approaches

  2026cites this paper
• Toward fully automated urban tree inventory: Integrating mobile lidar and open-source tools

  2026cites this paper
• Tree Geo-Positioning in Coniferous Forest Plots: A Comparison of Ground Survey and Laser Scanning Methods

  2026cites this paper
• Understanding tree growth dependencies using multisensorial point clouds

  2026cites this paper
• A Convenient Height-Filtering-Based Strategy for Multi-Source Forest LiDAR Point Cloud Registration

  2026cites this paper
• Use of close-range LiDAR devices and statistical inference approaches in operational stand-level forest inventories

  2025cites this paper
• Tree Trunk Curvature Extraction Based on Terrestrial Laser Scanning Point Clouds

  2025cites this paper
• Terrestrial and mobile laser scanning for national forest inventories: From theory to implementation

  2025cites this paper
• Integration of UAS and Backpack-LiDAR to Estimate Aboveground Biomass of Picea crassifolia Forest in Eastern Qinghai, China

  2025cites this paper
• Exploring Stand Parameters Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning in Pinus tabuliformis Plantation Forests

  2025cites this paper
• Stand Structure Extraction and Analysis of Camellia taliensis Communities in Qianjiazhai, Ailao Mountain, China, Based on Backpack Laser Scanning

  2025cites this paper
• An Open and Novel Low-Cost Terrestrial Laser Scanner Prototype for Forest Monitoring

  2025cites this paper
• Forest growth dynamics can be revealed using dual-temporal Terrestrial Laser Scanning — A case from plantation forests in northeastern China

  2025cites this paper
• A Reliable DBH Estimation Method Using Terrestrial LiDAR Points through Polar Coordinate Transformation and Progressive Outlier Removal

  2024cites this paper
• Estimating merchantable and non-merchantable wood volume in slash walls using terrestrial and airborne LiDAR

  2024cites this paper
• Integration of Terrestrial Laser Scanning and field measurements data for tree stem volume estimation: Exploring parametric and non-parametric modeling approaches

  2024cites this paper
• Development and Application of Tree Radial Measurement Device

  2024cites this paper
• Phenotypic measurements of broadleaf tree seedlings based on improved UNet and Pix2PixHD

  2024cites this paper
• Point cloud-based crown volume improves tree biomass estimation: Evaluating different crown volume extraction algorithms

  2024cites this paper
• Estimation of Diameter at Breast Height in Tropical Forests Based on Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Shape Diameter Function

  2024cites this paper
• One small step for a robot, one giant leap for habitat monitoring: A structural survey of EU forest habitats with Robotically-mounted Mobile Laser Scanning (RMLS)

  2024cites this paper
• Estimating aboveground volume of diverse urban tree species: Developing allometric equations for higher taxonomic levels

  2024cites this paper
• Evaluation of Accuracy in Estimating Diameter at Breast Height Based on the Scanning Conditions of Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Circular Fitting Algorithm

  2024cites this paper
• Two-step carbon storage estimation in human settlements in urban areas using airborne LiDAR and Sentinel-2 data based on machine learning

  2024cites this paper
• The Development of a Set of Novel Low Cost and Data Processing-Free Measuring Instruments for Tree Diameter at Breast Height and Tree Position

  2023cites this paper
• Accuracy Evaluation and Branch Detection Method of 3D Modeling Using Backpack 3D Lidar SLAM and UAV-SfM for Peach Trees during the Pruning Period in Winter

  2023cites this paper
• TLidar-based crown shape indicates tree ring pattern in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) trees across competition gradients. A modeling and methodological approach

  2023cites this paper
• Robust Single-Image Tree Diameter Estimation with Mobile Phones

  2023cites this paper
• Use of terrestrial laser scanning to obtain the stem diameters of Larix olgensis and construct compatible taper-volume equations

  2023cites this paper
• An Advanced Software Platform and Algorithmic Framework for Mobile DBH Data Acquisition

  2023cites this paper
• Akıllı telefon ve tabletlerin kamera ve LiDAR sensörlerinden elde edilen 3 boyutlu nokta bulutlarının doğruluk analizi

  2023cites this paper
• Volume Estimation of Stem Segments Based on a Tetrahedron Model Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning Data

  2023cites this paper
• A Novel Approach to Characterizing Crown Vertical Profile Shapes Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS)

  2023cites this paper
• The Potential of Low-Cost 3D Imaging Technologies for Forestry Applications: Setting a Research Agenda for Low-Cost Remote Sensing Inventory Tasks

  2022cites this paper
• Identification of the Yield of Camellia oleifera Based on Color Space by the Optimized Mean Shift Clustering Algorithm Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning

  2022cites this paper
• Assessing biodiversity from space: Impact of spatial and spectral resolution on trait-based functional diversity

  2022cites this paper
• Accuracy and Precision of Stem Cross-Section Modeling in 3D Point Clouds from TLS and Caliper Measurements for Basal Area Estimation

  2022cites this paper
• Comparing Mobile Laser Scanner and manual measurements for dendrometric variables estimation in a black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) plantation

  2022cites this paper
• Terrestrial Laser Scanning: An Operational Tool for Fuel Hazard Mapping?

  2022cites this paper
• Segmentation of conifer tree crowns from terrestrial laser scanning point clouds in mixed stands of Scots pine and Norway spruce

  2022cites this paper
• ESTIMATING DIAMETER AND HEIGHT DISTRIBUTIONS FROM AIRBORNE LIDAR VIA COPULAS

  2022cites this paper
• Comparing tree attributes derived from quantitative structure models based on drone and mobile laser scanning point clouds across varying canopy cover conditions

  2022cites this paper
• Machine Learning: Crown Diameter Predictive Modeling for Open-Grown Trees in the Cerrado Biome, Brazil

  2022cites this paper
• Multi-temporal analysis of terrestrial laser scanning data to detect basal stem rot in oil palm trees

  2021cites this paper
• Using terrestrial laser scanning for characterizing tree structural parameters and their changes under different management in a Mediterranean open woodland

  2021cites this paper
• Enhancing wall-to-wall forest structure mapping through detailed co-registration of airborne and terrestrial laser scanning data in Mediterranean forests

  2021cites this paper
• Estimation of Larch Growth at the Stem, Crown and Branch Levels Using Ground-based LiDAR Point Cloud

  2021cites this paper
• Using TLS-Measured Tree Attributes to Estimate above Ground Biomass in Small Black Spruce Trees

  2021cites this paper
• Application of allometric systems for compatible area-based LiDAR-assisted estimation in the Province of Nova Scotia

  2021cites this paper
• Development of a portable measuring device for diameter at breast height and tree height Entwicklung eines tragbaren Messgerätes für Durchmesser in Brusthöhe und Baumhöhe

  2021cites this paper
• Reconstruction of Conifer Root Systems Mapped with Point Cloud Data Obtained by 3D Laser Scanning Compared with Manual Measurement

  2021cites this paper
• Multi-temporal analysis of terrestrial laser scanning data to detect basal stem rot in oil palm trees

  2021cites this paper
• Comparison of spruce and beech tree attributes from field data, airborne and terrestrial laser scanning using manual and automatic methods

  2021cites this paper
• A Method to Locate Tree Positions Using Ultrawideband Technology

  2021cites this paper
• The contribution of energy crops to biomass production

  2021cites this paper
• Comparison of Numerical Calculation Methods for Stem Diameter Retrieval Using Terrestrial Laser Data

  2021cites this paper
• Using TLS-Measured Tree Attributes to Estimate Aboveground Biomass Biomass in Small Black Spruce Trees

  2021cites this paper
• 3D stem model construction with geometry consistency using terrestrial laser scanning data

  2021cites this paper
• Deriving forest plot inventory parameters using terrestrial laser scanning in the tropical rainforest of Malaysia

  2021cites this paper
• Harnessing terrestrial laser scanning to predict understory biomass in temperate mixed forests

  2021cites this paper
• Leaf and Wood Separation for Individual Trees Using the Intensity and Density Data of Terrestrial Laser Scanners

  2021cites this paper
• Improving TLS-based stem volume estimates by field measurements

  2021cites this paper
• Assessment of Stem Volume on Plots Using Terrestrial Laser Scanner: A Precision Forestry Application

  2021cites this paper
• Individual Tree Extraction from Terrestrial LiDAR Point Clouds Based on Transfer Learning and Gaussian Mixture Model Separation

  2021cites this paper
• Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Vegetation Analyses with a Special Focus on Savannas

  2021cites this paper
• Voxel-Based Automatic Tree Detection and Parameter Retrieval from Terrestrial Laser Scans for Plot-Wise Forest Inventory

  2021cites this paper
• Evaluation of automated pipelines for tree and plot metric estimation from TLS data in tropical forest areas.

  2021cites this paper
• An innovative and automated method for characterizing wood defects on trunk surfaces using high-density 3D terrestrial LiDAR data

  2021cites this paper
• Estimation of Northern Hardwood Forest Inventory Attributes Using UAV Laser Scanning (ULS): Transferability of Laser Scanning Methods and Comparison of Automated Approaches at the Tree- and Stand-Level

  2021cites this paper
• Estimating Stand and Fire-Related Surface and Canopy Fuel Variables in Pine Stands Using Low-Density Airborne and Single-Scan Terrestrial Laser Scanning Data

  2021cites this paper
• Lidar-based estimates of aboveground biomass through ground, aerial, and satellite observation: a case study in a Mediterranean forest

  2020cites this paper
• Available and missing data to model impact of climate change on European forests

  2020cites this paper
• Relative canopy height modelling precision from UAV and ALS datasets for forest tree height estimation

  2020cites this paper
• A trunk-based SLAM backend for smartphones with online SLAM in large-scale forest inventories

  2020cites this paper
• Compression and Recovery of 3D Broad-Leaved Tree Point Clouds Based on Compressed Sensing

  2020cites this paper
• The influence of sampling grid resolution and understory on forest structure estimation from terrestrial laser scanning

  2020cites this paper
• Moving from plot-based to hillslope-scale assessments of savanna vegetation structure with long-range terrestrial laser scanning (LR-TLS)

  2020cites this paper
• Exploring Forest Change Spatial Patterns in Papua New Guinea: A Pilot Study in the Bumbu River Basin

  2020cites this paper
• Accuracy assessment and error analysis for diameter at breast height measurement of trees obtained using a novel backpack LiDAR system

  2020cites this paper
• Application of handheld laser scanning technology for forest inventory purposes in the NE Turkey

  2020cites this paper
• Forest Inventory and Aboveground Biomass Estimation with Terrestrial LiDAR in the Tropical Forest of Malaysia

  2020cites this paper
• Integration of Multi-Sensor Data to Estimate Plot-Level Stem Volume Using Machine Learning Algorithms-Case Study of Evergreen Conifer Planted Forests in Japan

  2020cites this paper
• Estimation of Forest Variable and Aboveground Biomass using Terrestrial Laser Scanning in the Tropical Rainforest

  2020cites this paper
• Advances for the new remote sensing technology in ecosystem ecology research

  2020cites this paper
• The Influence of Cross-Section Thickness on Diameter at Breast Height Estimation from Point Cloud

  2020cites this paper
• Terrestrial laser scanning in forest ecology: Expanding the horizon

  2020cites this paper
• A comparative assessment of the vertical distribution of forest components using full-waveform airborne, discrete airborne and discrete terrestrial laser scanning data

  2020cites this paper
• Jukuri, open repository of the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

  2020cites this paper
• DESIGN AND APPLICATION OF BARCODE DIAMETER-AT-BREAST-HEIGHT TAPE IN FOREST INVENTORIES

  2019cites this paper
• Estimating residual biomass of olive tree crops using terrestrial laser scanning

  2019cites this paper
• Linking Terrestrial LiDAR Scanner and Conventional Forest Structure Measurements with Multi-Modal Satellite Data

  2019cites this paper
• Estimating architecture-based metabolic scaling exponents of tropical trees using terrestrial LiDAR and 3D modelling

  2019cites this paper
• Tree height explains stand volume of closed-canopy stands: Evidence from forest inventory data of China

  2019cites this paper
• Measuring stem diameters with TLS in boreal forests by complementary fitting procedure

  2019cites this paper
• A new method of equiangular sectorial voxelization of single-scan terrestrial laser scanning data and its applications in forest defoliation estimation

  2019cites this paper
• Individual tree measurements in a planted woodland with terrestrial laser scanner

  2019influential citation
• Sensitivity of Above-Ground Biomass to Terrestrial LIDAR-Derived Tree Height in Berkelah Tropical Rainforest, Malaysia

  2019cites this paper
• Tree height in tropical forest as measured by different ground, proximal, and remote sensing instruments, and impacts on above ground biomass estimates

  2019cites this paper
• Fine-scale Inventory of Forest Biomass with Ground-based LiDAR

  2019cites this paper
• Comparison of Mature Douglas-Firs' Crown Structures Developed with Two Quantitative Structural Models Using TLS Point Clouds for Neighboring Trees in a Natural Regime Stand

  2019cites this paper