Accuracy of tree mapping based on hand-held laser scanning comparing leaf-on and leaf-off conditions in mixed forests

The use of mobile laser scanning to survey forest ecosystems is a promising, scalable technology to describe forest 3D structures at high resolution. To confirm the consistency in the retrieval of forest structural parameters using hand-held laser scanning (HLS), before operationalizing the method, confirming the data is crucial. We analyzed the performance of tree-level mapping based on HLS under different phenology conditions on a mixed forest in western Spain comprising Pinus pinaster and two deciduous species, Alnus glutinosa and Quercus pyrenaica. The area was surveyed twice during the growing season (July 2022) and once in the deciduous season (February 2022) using several scanning paths. Ground reference data (418 trees, 15 snags) was used to calibrate the HLS data and to assess the influence of phenology when converting 3D data into tree-level attributes (DBH, height and volume). The HLS-based workflow was robust at isolating tree positions and recognizing stems despite changes in phenology. Ninety-six percent of all pairs matched below 65 cm. For DBH, phenology barely altered estimates. We observed a strong agreement when comparing HLS-based tree height distributions. The values exceeded 2 m when comparing height measurements, confirming height data should be carefully used as reference in remote sensing-based inventories, especially for deciduous species. Tree volume was more precise for pines (r = 0.95, and relative RMSE = 21.3 –23.8%) compared to deciduous species (r = 0.91 –0.96, and relative RMSE = 27.3–30.5%). HLS data and the forest structural complexity tool performed remarkably, especially in tree positioning considering mixed forests and mixed phenology conditions.