Ricerc@Sapienza

Remotely sensed observations of seasonal greenness dynamics represent a valuable tool for studying vegetation phenology at regional and ecosystem-level scales. We investigated the seasonal variability of forests in Italy, examining the different mechanisms of phenological response to biophysical drivers. For each point of the Italian National Forests Inventory, we processed a multitemporal profile of the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index. Then we applied a multivariate approach for the purpose of (i) classifying the Italian forests into phenological clusters (i.e.

This work is inspired by the sudden resurgence of the submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) bed in the Chesapeake Bay (USA). Because the SAV bed occurs at the mouth of the Bay's main tributary (Susquehanna River), it plays a significant role in modulating sediment and nutrient inputs from the Susquehanna to the Bay. Previous model studies on the impact of submersed aquatic vegetation on the development of river mouth bars lacked a complete mechanistic understanding.