Summer Research Grant Final Report
Cross-disciplinary Domains: Environmental Science, Ecology and Botany, Environmental
Engineering, Software Engineering
Research Project Objective
The objective of this project was to develop and evaluate a new approach for monitoring
vegetation phenology across Australia using remote sensing data and machine learning
methods. Phenology refers to the seasonal timing of biological events such as vegetation
growth, peak productivity, and dormancy. Understanding these seasonal dynamics is critical for
monitoring ecosystem health, detecting climate-driven changes, and improving carbon cycle
assessments. This project aimed to evaluate whether Gross Primary Production (GPP) derived
from Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) could provide a more accurate indicator of
vegetation productivity cycles.
