When researchers attempt to locate treefall gaps on a broad scale, it can be difficult to do so on the ground because of the large scale of the forests that they are generally focusing on. Satellite imagery has proven quite useful for large-scale disturbances such as blow-downs but remains difficult for small-scale disturbances such as treefall gaps.
Large-scale forest research can be complicated by the sheer size of the areas being studied, making it hard to spot treefall gaps on foot. However, satellite imaging has proven valuable in identifying big disturbances like blow-downs, although it struggles with smaller disturbances like treefall gaps.