deadtrees.earth - An Open-Access and Interactive Database for Centimeter-Scale Aerial Imagery to Uncover Global Tree Mortality Dynamics
Authors: Mosig Clemens , Vajna-Jehle Janusch , Mahecha Miguel D. , Cheng Yan , Hartmann Henrik , Montero David , Junttila Samuli , Horion Stéphanie , Adu-Bredu Stephen , Al-Halbouni Djamil , Allen Matthew , Altman Jan , Angiolini Claudia , Astrup Rasmus , Barrasso Caterina , Bartholomeus Harm , Brede Benjamin , Buras Allan , Carrieri Erik , Chirici Gherardo , Cloutier Myriam , Cushman KC , Dalling James W. , Dempewolf Jan , Denter Martin , Ecke Simon , Eichel Jana , Eltner Anette , Fabi Maximilian , Fassnacht Fabian , Feirreira Matheus Pinheiro , Frey Julian , Frick Annett , Ganz Selina , Garbarino Matteo , Garćıa Milton , Gassilloud Matthias , Ghasemi Marziye , Giannetti Francesca , Gonzalez Roy , Gosper Carl , Greinwald Konrad , Grieve Stuart , Gutierrez Jesus Aguirre , Göritz Anna , Hajek Peter , Hedding David , Hempel Jan , Hernández Melvin , Heurich Marco , Honkavaara Eija , Jucker Tommaso , Kalwij Jesse M. , Khatri-Chhetri Pratima , Klemmt Hans-Joachim , Koivumäki Niko , Korznikov Kirill , Kruse Stefan , Krüger Robert , Laliberté Etienne , Langan Liam , Latifi Hooman , Lehmann Jan , Li Linyuan , Lines Emily , Lopatin Javier , Lucieer Arko , Ludwig Marvin , Ludwig Antonia , Lyytikäinen-Saarenmaa Päivi , Ma Qin , Marino Giovanni , Maroschek Michael , Meloni Fabio , Menzel Annette , Meyer Hanna , Miraki Mojdeh , Moreno-Fernández Daniel , Muller-Landau Helene C. , Mälicke Mirko , Möhring Jakobus , Müllerova Jana , Neumeier Paul , Näsi Roope , Oppgenoorth Lars , Palmer Melanie , Paul Thomas , Potts Alastair , Prober Suzanne , Puliti Stefano , Pérez-Priego Oscar , Reudenbach Chris , Rossi Christian , Ruehr Nadine Katrin , Ruiz-Benito Paloma , Runge Christian Mestre , Scherer-Lorenzen Michael , Schiefer Felix , Schladebach Jacob , Schmehl Marie-Therese , Schwarz Selina , Schwenke Mirela Beloiu , Seidl Rupert , Shafeian Elham , de Simone Leopoldo , Sohrabi Hormoz , Sotomayor Laura , Sparrow Ben , Steer Benjamin S.C. , Stenson Matt , Stöckigt Benjamin , Su Yanjun , Suomalainen Juha , Torresani Michele , Umlauft Josefine , Vargas-Ramírez Nicolás , Volpi Michele , Vásquez Vicente , Weinstein Ben , Ximena Tagle Casapia , Zdunic Katherine , Zielewska-Büttner Katarzyna , de Oliveira Raquel Alves , van Wagtendonk Liz , von Dosky Vincent , Kattenborn Teja 
Published: October 2024

Excessive tree mortality is a global concern and remains poorly understood as it is a complex phenomenon. We lack global and temporally continuous coverage on tree mortality data. Ground-based observations on tree mortality,e.g., derived from national inventories, are very sparse, not standardized and not spatially explicit. Earth observation data, combined with supervised machine learning, offer a promising approach to map tree mortality over time. However, global-scale machine learning requires broad training data covering a wide range of environmental settings and forest types. Drones provide a cost-effective source of training data by capturing high-resolution orthophotos of tree mortality events at sub-centimeter resolution. Here, we introduce deadtrees.earth, an open-access platform hosting more than a thousand centimeter-resolution orthophotos, covering already more than 300,000 ha, of which more than 58,000 ha are fully annotated. This community-sourced and rigorously curated dataset shall serve as a foundation for a global initiative to gather comprehensive reference data. In concert with Earth observation data and machine learning it will serve to uncover tree mortality patterns from local to global scales. This will provide the foundation to attribute tree mortality patterns to environmental changes or project tree mortality dynamics to the future. Thus, the open and interactive nature of deadtrees.earth together with the collective effort of the community is meant to continuously increase our capacity to uncover and understand tree mortality patterns.