Evaluación del estado estructural arbóreo en el bosque Prosperina mediante índices de vegetación

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PROJECT PUBLICATION. Tropical dry forests constitute vulnerable and underrepresented ecosystems in the scientific literature, particularly in Ecuador. This project evaluates the capacity of spectral indices derived from multispectral imagery to characterize canopy variability and analyze their relationship with structural tree damage in the Bosque y Vegetación Protector Prosperina. It is hypothesized that certain indices show greater sensitivity to defoliation processes and structural disturbance, justifying the integration of high-resolution spectral information with field data. The study was conducted in three phases: a bibliometric analysis (2005–2025), acquisition of imagery using an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a multispectral camera, calculation of 15 vegetation indices, and application of Spearman correlation matrices to relate spectral and structural variables. Results showed a consistent response of NDVI, SR, MTVI, and TVI to seasonal defoliation, whereas correlations with structural damage were generally weak. It is concluded that spectral indices primarily describe physiological changes in the canopy and that a multivariate approach is required to more accurately estimate structural damage in tropical dry forests. Keywords: bibliometric analysis; remote sensing; statistical correlation; forest monitoring; defoliation.