Satellite signals can measure a forest’s moisture—and its ability to survive

Water content in forests—such as this one in the Missouri Ozark Mountains, where a study took place—can change from hour to hour.The same radio signals that enable your smartphone to pinpoint your location may also reveal how much water a forest holds within its foliage. By measuring how much GPS satellite signals weakened as they passed through a forest canopy, researchers were able to estimate the canopy’s water content.

The method isn’t perfect. Yao notes, for example, that high temperatures can weaken the signal even when plant water content is low, giving a false reading.

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