Drylands (areas characterized by low precipitation, high evapotranspiration, and low soil moisture) occupy around 40-45% of the earth’s surface. Many drylands contain high biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services (e.g., livestock forage, agricultural production, pollination) for nearly 1/3 of the world’s population who live in drylands. Given limited precipitation and other resources, drylands can have abrupt responses to intensive land use and climate variability, and small environmental changes often have disproportionally large ecological effects in these systems. Our research applies remote sensing and spatial analysis to characterize and monitor dryland vegetation and soils, to help understand how land use and climate affects ecosystem processes, and to provide information on how ecological processes can be managed to accelerate recovery of disturbed and degraded lands.
This page describes some of the remote sensing methods and results of four ongoing USGS studies: 1) using Landsat time series data to measure reclamation success, 2) mapping and monitoring invasive grasses, 3) characterizing biological soil crusts and soil heterogeneity, and 4) mapping and modeling surface disturbances. Detailed webpages for research listed above found under the Related Science tab or click the underlined links.
Related Science:
1.1 Remote sensing of energy development
1.2 Remote sensing of invasive annual grasses
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Remote Sensing of Biological Soil Crusts
Soil Compaction and Erosion
Remote Sensing of Invasive Annual Grasses
Remote Sensing of Energy Development
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
5-year Relative Fractional Vegetation Cover at Abandoned Energy Development Sites on the Colorado Plateau
Grassland State and Transition Map of Canyonlands National Park Needles District and Indian Creek Grazing Allotment
Below are publications associated with this project.
Landsat time series assessment of invasive annual grasses following energy development
Landsat time series analysis of fractional plant cover changes on abandoned energy development sites
Identifying optimal remotely-sensed variables for ecosystem monitoring in Colorado Plateau drylands
Climate legacy and lag effects on dryland plant communities in the southwestern U.S.
Disturbance automated reference toolset (DART): Assessing patterns in ecological recovery from energy development on the Colorado Plateau
Multi-index time series monitoring of drought and fire effects on desert grasslands
Comparison of remote sensing indices for monitoring of desert cienegas
Modelling landscape-scale erosion potential related to vehicle disturbances along the U.S.-Mexico border
Remote sensing analysis of riparian vegetation response to desert marsh restoration in the Mexican Highlands
Historical and contemporary geographic data reveal complex spatial and temporal responses of vegetation to climate and land stewardship
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Drylands (areas characterized by low precipitation, high evapotranspiration, and low soil moisture) occupy around 40-45% of the earth’s surface. Many drylands contain high biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services (e.g., livestock forage, agricultural production, pollination) for nearly 1/3 of the world’s population who live in drylands. Given limited precipitation and other resources, drylands can have abrupt responses to intensive land use and climate variability, and small environmental changes often have disproportionally large ecological effects in these systems. Our research applies remote sensing and spatial analysis to characterize and monitor dryland vegetation and soils, to help understand how land use and climate affects ecosystem processes, and to provide information on how ecological processes can be managed to accelerate recovery of disturbed and degraded lands.
This page describes some of the remote sensing methods and results of four ongoing USGS studies: 1) using Landsat time series data to measure reclamation success, 2) mapping and monitoring invasive grasses, 3) characterizing biological soil crusts and soil heterogeneity, and 4) mapping and modeling surface disturbances. Detailed webpages for research listed above found under the Related Science tab or click the underlined links.
Related Science:
1.1 Remote sensing of energy development
1.2 Remote sensing of invasive annual grasses
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Remote Sensing of Biological Soil Crusts
Soil Compaction and Erosion
Remote Sensing of Invasive Annual Grasses
Remote Sensing of Energy Development
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
5-year Relative Fractional Vegetation Cover at Abandoned Energy Development Sites on the Colorado Plateau
Grassland State and Transition Map of Canyonlands National Park Needles District and Indian Creek Grazing Allotment
Below are publications associated with this project.
Landsat time series assessment of invasive annual grasses following energy development
Landsat time series analysis of fractional plant cover changes on abandoned energy development sites
Identifying optimal remotely-sensed variables for ecosystem monitoring in Colorado Plateau drylands
Climate legacy and lag effects on dryland plant communities in the southwestern U.S.
Disturbance automated reference toolset (DART): Assessing patterns in ecological recovery from energy development on the Colorado Plateau
Multi-index time series monitoring of drought and fire effects on desert grasslands
Comparison of remote sensing indices for monitoring of desert cienegas
Modelling landscape-scale erosion potential related to vehicle disturbances along the U.S.-Mexico border
Remote sensing analysis of riparian vegetation response to desert marsh restoration in the Mexican Highlands
Historical and contemporary geographic data reveal complex spatial and temporal responses of vegetation to climate and land stewardship
Below are news stories associated with this project.