Data from: Use and categorization of Light Detection and Ranging vegetation metrics in avian diversity and species distribution research

• Main Authors: Bakx, Tristan R. M., Koma, Zsófia, Seijmonsbergen, Arie C., Kissling, W. Daniel
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2019
• Subjects: Habitat preferences; Empidonax flaviventris; Zonotrichia leucophrys; Setophaga caerulescens; cover; Tetrao tetrix; Picus rabieri; Phylloscopus trochilus; animal space use; Poecile palustris; Setophaga striata; height; Anthus trivialis; horizontal variability; single tree; Psittacula roseata; canopy height; Aphelocoma californica; Pheucticus melanocephalus; prioritization; point density; Carduelis cannabina; single layer; Picoides tridactylus; object; Certhia brachydactyla; Troglodytes aedon; Psittacula eupatria; Pipilo maculatus; Methods; Polihierax insignis; Canopy cover; Setophaga chrysoparia; Hylocichla mustelina; Ploceus hypoxanthus; Tetrao urogallus; habitat structure; Agelaius phoeniceus; Melanerpes lewis; Icterus bullockii; Lanius collurio; animal diversity; vertical variability; Geothlypis trichas; voxel; Pavo muticus; Baelophus inornatus; Spinus tristis; Setophaga magnolia; Setophaga cerulea; Junco hyemalis; Vireo divaceus; habitat suitability; multi-layer; Trenon phayrei; Haemorhous mexicanus; understorey; features; ecological applications; canopy; Certhia americana; Turdus philomelos; Lophophanes christatus; deciduous woodland; Chamaea fasciata; animal-habitat relationships; structural heterogeneity; light detection and ranging; Emberiza citrinella; Glaucidium passerinum; Anthus pratensis; Sphyrapicus nuchalis; Alauda arvensis; Phylloscopus sibilatrix; present; Melowspiza melodia; Vireo atricapilla; Calcarius lapponicus; Tetrastes bonasi; canopy vertical variability; Myiarchus cineascens; understory; spaceborne; Thryomanes bewickii; total vegetation; animal ecology; Seiurus aerucapillus; vegetation metrics; Saxicola rubicola; Strix occidentalis; lidar; airborne laser scanning; point cloud; Molothus ater; Leuconotopicus borealis; footprint; Vireo gilvus; Setophaga coronata; Psaltraparus minimus; vertical vegetation structure; Low Point
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.tm28hb6; http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.tm28hb6

Aim: Vegetation structure is a key determinant of animal diversity and species distributions. The introduction of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) has enabled the collection of massive amounts of point cloud data for quantifying habitat structure at fine resolution. Here, we review the current use of LiDAR-derived vegetation metrics in diversity and distribution research of birds, a key group for understanding animal-habitat relationships. Location: Global. Methods: We review 50 relevant papers and quantify where, in which habitats, at which spatial scales and with what kind of LiDAR data current studies make use of LiDAR metrics. We also harmonize and categorize LiDAR metrics and quantify their current use and effectiveness. Results: Most studies have been conducted at local extents in temperate forests of North America and Europe. Rasterization is currently the main method to derive LiDAR metrics, usually from airborne laser scanning data with low point densities (<10 points/m2) and small footprints (<1 m diameter). Our metric harmonization suggests that 40% of the currently used metric names are redundant. A categorisation scheme allowed to group all metric names into 18 out of 24 theoretically possible classes, defined by vegetation part (total vegetation, single trees, canopy, understory, and other single layers as well as multi-layer) and structural type (cover, height, horizontal variability, vertical variability). Metrics related to canopy cover, canopy height and canopy vertical variability are currently most often used, but not always effective. Main conclusions: LiDAR metrics play an important role in understanding animal space use. Our review and the developed categorization scheme may facilitate future studies in the selection, prioritization and ecological interpretation of LiDAR metrics. The increasing availability of airborne and spaceborne LiDAR data and the development of voxel-based and object-based approaches will further allow novel ecological applications, also for open habitats and other vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. : LiDAR_articles_dataExtracted data from articles studying bird species distributions and diversity in relation to Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)