Methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the two dominant anthropogenic (human-generated) climate-forcing agents. Additionally, CH4 is relevant to air-quality science and applications: CH4 is a precursor for tropospheric ozone and is strongly linked with co-emitted reactive trace gases that can impact human health. Carbon Mapper is designed to detect at least 80% of high emission CH4 and CO2 point sources […]
Tech: Spectroscopy
CoralSpec Program

CoralSpec, which is short for Coral Spectranomics, is a project to develop a spectral and chemical library of the critical, habitat-forming coral species of our planet. This project aims to visit as many coral reefs as possible to collect field-based spectral measurements and samples for subsequent chemical analyses in our laboratory. This global field program […]
New Rainforest Protections in Borneo

In 2016, the Global Airborne Observatory mapped much of the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo in support of a government-led initiative to establish a large new protected area. This work positioned Asner Lab as a key expert in service to the Malaysian government. Our lab is responsible for identifying the most […]
Biodiversity and Carbon Storage in California

California is both a global biodiversity hotspot and home to forest ecosystems with the highest aboveground carbon storage per unit of land area on earth. Warming temperatures and changing precipitation patterns threaten California’s forests and their ecosystem services. Asner Lab is working to map patterns of forest species composition, forest functional diversity, and carbon stocks […]
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Conservation Management of Hawaiian Forests

The Global Airborne Observatory (GAO) is mapping forest conditions throughout the Hawaiian Islands, with a special focus on the detection of Metrosideros polymorpha, (also known as Ohi’a), Hawaii’s most important native tree species. The spread of Rapid Ohi’a Death, or ROD, to Ohi’a trees has increased over the years due to a highly aggressive foreign […]