Remote sensing datasets offer robust approaches for gaining reliable insights into forest ecosystems. Despite numerous studies reviewing forest aboveground biomass estimation using remote sensing approaches, a comprehensive synthesis of synergetic integration methods to map and estimate forest AGB is still needed. This article reviews the integrated remote sensing approaches and discusses significant advances in estimating the AGB from space- and airborne sensors. This review covers the research articles published during 2015–2023 to ascertain recent developments. A total of 98 peer-reviewed journal articles were selected under the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Among the scrutinized studies, 54 were relevant to spaceborne, 22 to airborne, and 22 to space- and airborne datasets. Among the empirical models used, random forest regression model accounted for the most articles (32). The highest number of articles utilizing integrated dataset approaches originated from China (24), followed by the USA (15). Among the space- and airborne datasets, Sentinel-1 and 2, Landsat, GEDI, and Airborne LiDAR datasets were widely employed with parameters that encompassed tree height, canopy cover, and vegetation indices. The results of co-citation analysis were also determined to be relevant to the objectives of this review. This review focuses on dataset integration with empirical models and provides insights into the accuracy and reliability of studies on AGB estimation modeling.

Accurately mapping urban rooftop solar potential is essential for cities like Amsterdam that are pursuing net-zero emissions. This study presents an innovative framework that combines high-resolution geospatial data with an advanced deep learning ensemble to identify existing solar panels and untapped suitable rooftop areas. The predictions from a meticulously trained ensemble of deep learning models were integrated using both simple and performance-weighted majority voting. The weighted ensemble achieved an accuracy of 0.95, an F1 score of 0.91, and a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.88, outperforming individual models. Rooftop suitability was assessed using a multi-criteria approach, which incorporated a high-resolution digital surface model (DSM) to derive slope, aspect, and solar irradiation. A novel solar irradiation model was developed that enhanced the precision of yield estimates by adjusting atmospheric transmissivity and diffuse fraction based on monthly cloud cover data from Amsterdam. This framework provides district-wise spatiotemporal solar irradiation and photovoltaic yield estimates. Based on our model estimates, current installations have a potential of 140 GWh annually, while there is a significant untapped potential of 1276 GWh on suitable rooftops. These detailed insights can help urban planners optimize solar energy deployment and support the city’s carbon neutrality goal by 2050. Graphical Abstract

Estimating aboveground biomass (AGB) is vital for sustainable forest management and helps to understand the contributions of forests to carbon storage and emission goals. In this study, the effectiveness of plot-level AGB estimation using height and crown diameter derived from UAV-LiDAR, calibration of GEDI-L4A AGB and GEDI-L2A rh98 heights, and spectral variables derived from UAV-multispectral and RGB data were assessed. These calibrated AGB and height values and UAV-derived spectral variables were used to fit AGB estimations using a random forest (RF) regression model in Fuling District, China. Using Pearson correlation analysis, we identified 10 of the most important predictor variables in the AGB prediction model, including calibrated GEDI AGB and height, Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index green (VARIg), Red Blue Ratio Index (RBRI), Difference Vegetation Index (DVI), canopy cover (CC), Atmospherically Resistant Vegetation Index (ARVI), Red-Edge Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVIre), Color Index of Vegetation (CIVI), elevation, and slope. The results showed that, in general, the second model based on calibrated AGB and height, Sentinel-2 indices, slope and elevation, and spectral variables from UAV-multispectral and RGB datasets with evaluation metric (for training: R² = 0.941 Mg/ha, RMSE = 13.514 Mg/ha, MAE = 8.136 Mg/ha) performed better than the first model with AGB prediction. The result was between 23.45 Mg/ha and 301.81 Mg/ha, and the standard error was between 0.14 Mg/ha and 10.18 Mg/ha. This hybrid approach significantly improves AGB prediction accuracy and addresses uncertainties in AGB prediction modeling. The findings provide a robust framework for enhancing forest carbon stock assessment and contribute to global-scale AGB monitoring, advancing methodologies for sustainable forest management and ecological research.