Terrestrial LiDAR Technology to Evaluate the Vertical Structure of Stands of Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl., a Species Symbol of Conservation Through Sustainable Use in the Brazilian Amazon

Felipe Felix Costa, Raimundo Cosme de Oliveira Júnior (), Danilo Roberti Alves de Almeida, Diogo Martins Rosa, Kátia Emídio da Silva, Hélio Tonini, Troy Patrick Beldini, Darlisson Bentes dos Santos and Marcelino Carneiro Guedes
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Felipe Felix Costa: Graduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá 68903-419, AP, Brazil
Raimundo Cosme de Oliveira Júnior: Embrapa Eastern Amazonia, Belém 66095-100, PA, Brazil
Danilo Roberti Alves de Almeida: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Piracicaba 13418-900, SP, Brazil
Diogo Martins Rosa: Campus Porto Velho, Federal University of Rondônia, Porto Velho 76801-059, RO, Brazil
Kátia Emídio da Silva: Embrapa Western Amazonia, Manaus 69010-970, AM, Brazil
Hélio Tonini: Embrapa Agrossilvipastoril, Sinop 78550-970, MT, Brazil
Troy Patrick Beldini: United State of Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, DC 20250, USA
Darlisson Bentes dos Santos: Embrapa Eastern Amazonia, Belém 66095-100, PA, Brazil
Marcelino Carneiro Guedes: Graduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá 68903-419, AP, Brazil

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-19

Abstract: The Amazon rainforest hosts a diverse array of forest types, including those where Brazil nut ( Bertholletia excelsa ) occurs, which plays a crucial ecological and economic role. The Brazil nut is the second most important non-timber forest product in the Amazon, a symbol of development and sustainable use in the region, promoting the conservation of the standing forest. Understanding the vertical structure of these forests is essential to assess their ecological complexity and inform sustainable management strategies. We used terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to assess the vertical structure of Amazonian forests with the occurrence of Brazil nut ( Bertholletia excelsa ) at regional (Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará, and Amapá) and local scales (forest typologies in Amapá). TLS allowed high-resolution three-dimensional characterization of canopy layers, enabling the extraction of structural metrics such as canopy height, rugosity, and leaf area index (LAI). These metrics were analyzed to quantify the forest vertical complexity and compare structural variability across spatial scales. These findings demonstrate the utility of TLS as a precise tool for quantifying forest structure and highlight the importance of integrating structural data in conservation planning and forest monitoring initiatives involving B. excelsa.

Keywords: Brazil nut tree; canopy; leaf area density; leaf area index; forest height; forest vertical profile (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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