3.2 Model predictors
To reduce the number of model predictors we performed a correlation
analysis between the remote-sensed variables and each sampled variable
(tree height and tree density) (Table S2, supporting information). Best
correlated predictors were the same for both tree height and density: 1)
tree canopy cover (r= 0.62 and r= 0.50, respectively) (Hansen et al.,
2013), 2) fraction of photosynthetic active radiation (FPAR) (r= 0.61
and r= 0.49, respectively), 3) leaf area index (LAI) (r= 0.56 and r=
0.50, respectively) (Myneni, Ranga et al., 2015), 4) mean land surface
temperature (r= -0.42 and r= -0.25, respectively) (Hulley et al., 2009,
2012, 2015; Hulley & Hook, 2008, 2009, 2011; NASA JPL, 2014), 5)
temperature annual range (r= -0.50 and r= -0.26, respectively), and 6)
temperature seasonality (r= -0.47 and r= -0.23, respectively) both from
Hijmans, 2005.