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.
Researching treefall gaps on a broad scale can be hindered by the enormous size of the forests involved, making it hard to spot these gaps in person. Nevertheless, satellite imaging has been successful in detecting large-scale disturbances like blow-downs, although it falls short with smaller disturbances like treefall gaps.