Neal J Pastick, PhD (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
Modelled long-term wildfire occurrence probabilities in sagebrush-dominated ecosystems in the western US (1985 to 2019) Modelled long-term wildfire occurrence probabilities in sagebrush-dominated ecosystems in the western US (1985 to 2019)
Exotic annual grasses are one of the most damaging biological stressors in western North America and increase the susceptibility of landscapes to wildfire occurrence. Here we couple estimates of long-term rangeland component fractions (e.g. exotic annual grasses) with remote sensing, climate data, and machine learning techniques to estimate the long-term (1985 to 2019) probability of...
Historic and future trends in exotic annual grass (%) cover in the western US (1985 to 2019 and 2025 to 2040) Historic and future trends in exotic annual grass (%) cover in the western US (1985 to 2019 and 2025 to 2040)
Exotic annual grasses [EAG] are one of the most damaging biological stressors in western North America. Despite numerous environmental and societal impacts associated with EAG there remains a need to enhance regional monitoring capabilities to better guide management and conservation efforts. Here we provide estimates of historic and potential future trends in EAG abundance that were...
Probabilistic estimates of landscape change in Alaska (1984 to 2015) Probabilistic estimates of landscape change in Alaska (1984 to 2015)
Contemporary climate change in Alaska has resulted in amplified rates of press and pulse disturbances that drive ecosystem change with significant consequences for socio-environmental systems. Despite the vulnerability of Arctic and boreal landscapes to change, little has been done to characterize landscape change and associated drivers across northern high-latitude ecosystems. Here we
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2025 Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2025
We provide fractional cover estimates for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a weekly basis from mid-April to late June 2025. The cover estimates reflect actual conditions of the previous week and are released in an expedited manner, within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that weekly prediction. Each weekly release contains...
Weekly Changes of Exotic Annual Grasses (EAG) abundance in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024 Weekly Changes of Exotic Annual Grasses (EAG) abundance in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024
These datasets provide weekly differences of early estimates of 2024 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) that were released from April to late June. The EAG estimates were publicly released within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each weekly release contained five fractional cover maps along with their corresponding confidence maps for: 1) a...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024 Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024
These datasets provide early estimates of 2024 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a weekly basis from April to late June. Typically, the EAG estimates are publicly released within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each weekly release contains five fractional cover maps along with their...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2023 Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2023
These datasets provide early estimates of 2023 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a weekly basis from May to early July. The EAG estimates are developed typically within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each weekly release contains four fractional cover maps along with their corresponding...
Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected in 2021 Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected in 2021
Geophysical measurements were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at five sites in Interior Alaska in September 2021 for the purposes of imaging permafrost structure and quantifying variations in subsurface moisture content in relation to thaw features. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements were made along transects 110-222 meters (m) in length to quantify...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2022 (ver 6.0, July 2022) Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2022 (ver 6.0, July 2022)
These datasets provide early estimates of 2022 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a bi-weekly basis from May to early July. The EAG estimates are developed within one week of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each bi-weekly release contains four fractional cover maps along with their corresponding...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, July 2021, (ver 2.0, January 2022) Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, July 2021, (ver 2.0, January 2022)
These datasets provide early estimates of 2021 exotic annual grasses (EAG) fractional cover predicted on July 1 using satellite observation data available until June 28th. In previous releases, we developed and released one general EAG fractional cover map with an emphasis on cheatgrass (Bromus tectrorum) but also included number of other species, i.e., Bromus arvensis L., Bromus...
Fractional Estimates of Multiple Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) Species in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2016-2024 (ver. 5.0, July 2025) Fractional Estimates of Multiple Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) Species in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2016-2024 (ver. 5.0, July 2025)
This dataset provides annual (2016 - 2024) estimates of fractional cover for Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) species and a native perennial bunch grass for rangelands of the western United States. The dataset includes four (five for 2023 and 2024) fractional cover maps per year, accompanied by corresponding confidence maps, for a group of 15 EAG species. The following 15 species are included...
Permafrost characterization at the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) site: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2018-2020 Permafrost characterization at the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) site: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2018-2020
Geophysical measurements and related field data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) site in Interior Alaska from 2018 to 2020 to characterize subsurface thermal and hydrologic conditions along a permafrost thaw gradient. The APEX site is managed by the Bonanza Creek LTER (Long Term Ecological Research). In April 2018, seven...
Eyes on Earth Episode 105 – Imagery Challenges of Alaska
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we focus on Alaska. Rich in wildlife and natural resources, not to mention its sheer size, Alaska has long been a source of fascination for remote sensing scientists. But it is also a source of frustration, with frequent cloud and snow cover and months of darkness each year. Three EROS researchers well versed in interpreting Landsat imagery from Alaska shared...
Filter Total Items: 26
Upland Yedoma taliks are an unpredicted source of atmospheric methane Upland Yedoma taliks are an unpredicted source of atmospheric methane
Landscape drying associated with permafrost thaw is expected to enhance microbial methane oxidation in arctic soils. Here we show that ice-rich, Yedoma permafrost deposits, comprising a disproportionately large fraction of pan-arctic soil carbon, present an alternate trajectory. Field and laboratory observations indicate that talik (perennially thawed soils in permafrost) development in
Authors
Katey M. Walter Anthony, Nicholas Hasson, Colin Edgar, Orit Sivan, Effrat Eliani-Russak, Oded Bergman, Burke Minsley, Stephanie James, Neal Pastick, Alexander Kholodov, Sergey Zimov, Eugenie Euskirchen, Marion Bret-Harte, Guido Grosse, Moritz Langer, Jan Nitzbon
Investigating permafrost carbon dynamics in Alaska with artificial intelligence Investigating permafrost carbon dynamics in Alaska with artificial intelligence
Positive feedbacks between permafrost degradation and the release of soil carbon into the atmosphere impact land–atmosphere interactions, disrupt the global carbon cycle, and accelerate climate change. The widespread distribution of thawing permafrost is causing a cascade of geophysical and biochemical disturbances with global impacts. Currently, few earth system models account for...
Authors
Bradley Gay, Neal Pastick, Andreas Zufle, Amanda Armstrong, Kimberly Miner, J.J. Qu
Rapid and gradual permafrost thaw: A tale of two sites Rapid and gradual permafrost thaw: A tale of two sites
Warming temperatures and increasing disturbance by wildfire and extreme weather events is driving permafrost change across northern latitudes. The state of permafrost varies widely in space and time, depending on landscape, climate, hydrologic, and ecological factors. Despite its importance, few approaches commonly measure and monitor the changes in deep (>1 m) permafrost conditions with...
Authors
Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, Stephanie James, Dana R.N. Brown, Bruce K. Wylie, Mason A. Kass, Vladimir Romanovsky
Heterogeneous patterns of aged organic carbon export driven by hydrologic flow paths, soil texture, fire, and thaw in discontinuous permafrost headwaters Heterogeneous patterns of aged organic carbon export driven by hydrologic flow paths, soil texture, fire, and thaw in discontinuous permafrost headwaters
Climate change is thawing and potentially mobilizing vast quantities of organic carbon (OC) previously stored for millennia in permafrost soils of northern circumpolar landscapes. Climate-driven increases in fire and thermokarst may play a key role in OC mobilization by thawing permafrost and promoting transport of OC. Yet, the extent of OC mobilization and mechanisms controlling...
Authors
Joshua Koch, Matthew Bogard, David Butman, Kerri Finlay, Brian A. Ebel, Jason James, Sarah Johnston, Torre Jorgenson, Neal Pastick, Rob Spencer, Rob Striegl, Michelle Walvoord, Kimberly Wickland
Multi-species inference of exotic annual and native perennial grasses in rangelands of the western United States using Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 data Multi-species inference of exotic annual and native perennial grasses in rangelands of the western United States using Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 data
The invasion of exotic annual grass (EAG), e.g., cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), into rangeland ecosystems of the western United States is a broad-scale problem that affects wildlife habitats, increases wildfire frequency, and adds to land management costs. However, identifying individual species of EAG abundance from remote sensing, particularly...
Authors
Devendra Dahal, Neal Pastick, Stephen P. Boyte, Sujan Parajuli, Michael Oimoen, Logan Megard
Characterizing methane emission hotspots from thawing permafrost Characterizing methane emission hotspots from thawing permafrost
Methane (CH4) emissions from climate-sensitive ecosystems within the northern permafrost region represent a potentially large but highly uncertain source, with current estimates spanning a factor of seven (11–75 Tg CH4 yr−1). Accelerating permafrost thaw threatens significant increases in pan-Arctic CH4 emissions, amplifying the permafrost carbon feedback. We used airborne imaging...
Authors
Clayton Elder, David Thompson, Andrew Thorpe, Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar, Philip Hanke, Nicholas Hasson, Stephanie James, Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, David Olefeldt, Katey M Walter Anthony, Charles Miller
The climate envelope of Alaska’s northern treelines: Implications for controlling factors and future treeline advance The climate envelope of Alaska’s northern treelines: Implications for controlling factors and future treeline advance
Understanding the key mechanisms that control northern treelines is important to accurately predict biome shifts and terrestrial feedbacks to climate. At a global scale, it has long been observed that elevational and latitudinal treelines occur at similar mean growing season air temperature (GSAT) isotherms, inspiring the growth limitation hypothesis (GLH) that cold GSAT limits...
Authors
Colin Maher, Roman Dial, Neal J Pastick, Rebecca Hewitt, M. Torre Jorgenson, Patrick F. Sullivan
Rapid monitoring of the abundance and spread of exotic annual grasses in the western United States using remote sensing and machine learning Rapid monitoring of the abundance and spread of exotic annual grasses in the western United States using remote sensing and machine learning
Exotic annual grasses (EAG) are one of the most damaging agents of change in western North America. Despite known socio-environmental effects of EAG there remains a need to enhance monitoring capabilities for better informing conservation and management practices. Here, we integrate field observations, remote sensing and climate data with machine-learning techniques to estimate and...
Authors
Neal Pastick, Bruce Wylie, Matthew Rigge, Devendra Dahal, Stephen P. Boyte, Matthew Jones, Brady Allred, Sujan Parajuli, Zhuoting Wu
Decadal-scale hotspot methane ebullition within lakes following abrupt permafrost thaw Decadal-scale hotspot methane ebullition within lakes following abrupt permafrost thaw
Thermokarst lakes accelerate deep permafrost thaw and the mobilization of previously frozen soil organic carbon. This leads to microbial decomposition and large releases of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) that enhance climate warming. However, the time scale of permafrost-carbon emissions following thaw is not well known but is important for understanding how abrupt permafrost...
Authors
K.W. Anthony, P. Lindgren, P. Hanke, M. Engram, P. Anthony, R. Daanen, A. Bondurant, A.K. Liljedahl, J. Lenz, G. Grosse, B.M. Jones, L. Brosius, Stephanie James, Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, J. Munk, J. P. Chanton, C.E. Miller, F.J. Meyer
USGS permafrost research determines the risks of permafrost thaw to biologic and hydrologic resources USGS permafrost research determines the risks of permafrost thaw to biologic and hydrologic resources
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with university, Federal, Tribal, and independent partners, conducts fundamental research on the distribution, vulnerability, and importance of permafrost in arctic and boreal ecosystems. Scientists, land managers, and policy makers use USGS data to help make decisions for development, wildlife habitat, and other needs. Native villages...
Authors
Mark Waldrop, Lesleigh Anderson, Mark Dornblaser, Li Erikson, Ann Gibbs, Nicole Herman-Mercer, Stephanie R. James, Miriam Jones, Joshua Koch, Mary-Cathrine Leewis, Kristen Manies, Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, Vijay Patil, Frank Urban, Michelle Walvoord, Kimberly Wickland, Christian Zimmerman
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Land Change Science Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Land Change Science Program, Volcano Hazards Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Volcano Science Center
Characterizing land surface phenology and exotic annual grasses in dryland ecosystems using Landsat and Sentinel-2 data in harmony Characterizing land surface phenology and exotic annual grasses in dryland ecosystems using Landsat and Sentinel-2 data in harmony
Invasive annual grasses, such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), have proliferated in dryland ecosystems of the western United States, promoting increased fire activity and reduced biodiversity that can be detrimental to socio-environmental systems. Monitoring exotic annual grass cover and dynamics over large areas requires the use of remote sensing that can support early detection and...
Authors
Neal Pastick, Devendra Dahal, Bruce Wylie, Sujan Parajuli, Stephen Boyte, Zhuoting Wu
Geospatial data mining for digital raster mapping Geospatial data mining for digital raster mapping
We performed an in-depth literature survey to identify the most popular data mining approaches that have been applied for raster mapping of ecological parameters through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remotely sensed data. Popular data mining approaches included decision trees or “data mining” trees which consist of regression and classification trees, random forests...
Authors
Bruce Wylie, Neal Pastick, Joshua Picotte, Carol Deering
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
Modelled long-term wildfire occurrence probabilities in sagebrush-dominated ecosystems in the western US (1985 to 2019) Modelled long-term wildfire occurrence probabilities in sagebrush-dominated ecosystems in the western US (1985 to 2019)
Exotic annual grasses are one of the most damaging biological stressors in western North America and increase the susceptibility of landscapes to wildfire occurrence. Here we couple estimates of long-term rangeland component fractions (e.g. exotic annual grasses) with remote sensing, climate data, and machine learning techniques to estimate the long-term (1985 to 2019) probability of...
Historic and future trends in exotic annual grass (%) cover in the western US (1985 to 2019 and 2025 to 2040) Historic and future trends in exotic annual grass (%) cover in the western US (1985 to 2019 and 2025 to 2040)
Exotic annual grasses [EAG] are one of the most damaging biological stressors in western North America. Despite numerous environmental and societal impacts associated with EAG there remains a need to enhance regional monitoring capabilities to better guide management and conservation efforts. Here we provide estimates of historic and potential future trends in EAG abundance that were...
Probabilistic estimates of landscape change in Alaska (1984 to 2015) Probabilistic estimates of landscape change in Alaska (1984 to 2015)
Contemporary climate change in Alaska has resulted in amplified rates of press and pulse disturbances that drive ecosystem change with significant consequences for socio-environmental systems. Despite the vulnerability of Arctic and boreal landscapes to change, little has been done to characterize landscape change and associated drivers across northern high-latitude ecosystems. Here we
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2025 Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2025
We provide fractional cover estimates for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a weekly basis from mid-April to late June 2025. The cover estimates reflect actual conditions of the previous week and are released in an expedited manner, within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that weekly prediction. Each weekly release contains...
Weekly Changes of Exotic Annual Grasses (EAG) abundance in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024 Weekly Changes of Exotic Annual Grasses (EAG) abundance in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024
These datasets provide weekly differences of early estimates of 2024 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) that were released from April to late June. The EAG estimates were publicly released within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each weekly release contained five fractional cover maps along with their corresponding confidence maps for: 1) a...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024 Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024
These datasets provide early estimates of 2024 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a weekly basis from April to late June. Typically, the EAG estimates are publicly released within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each weekly release contains five fractional cover maps along with their...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2023 Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2023
These datasets provide early estimates of 2023 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a weekly basis from May to early July. The EAG estimates are developed typically within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each weekly release contains four fractional cover maps along with their corresponding...
Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected in 2021 Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected in 2021
Geophysical measurements were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at five sites in Interior Alaska in September 2021 for the purposes of imaging permafrost structure and quantifying variations in subsurface moisture content in relation to thaw features. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements were made along transects 110-222 meters (m) in length to quantify...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2022 (ver 6.0, July 2022) Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2022 (ver 6.0, July 2022)
These datasets provide early estimates of 2022 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a bi-weekly basis from May to early July. The EAG estimates are developed within one week of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each bi-weekly release contains four fractional cover maps along with their corresponding...
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, July 2021, (ver 2.0, January 2022) Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, July 2021, (ver 2.0, January 2022)
These datasets provide early estimates of 2021 exotic annual grasses (EAG) fractional cover predicted on July 1 using satellite observation data available until June 28th. In previous releases, we developed and released one general EAG fractional cover map with an emphasis on cheatgrass (Bromus tectrorum) but also included number of other species, i.e., Bromus arvensis L., Bromus...
Fractional Estimates of Multiple Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) Species in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2016-2024 (ver. 5.0, July 2025) Fractional Estimates of Multiple Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) Species in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2016-2024 (ver. 5.0, July 2025)
This dataset provides annual (2016 - 2024) estimates of fractional cover for Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) species and a native perennial bunch grass for rangelands of the western United States. The dataset includes four (five for 2023 and 2024) fractional cover maps per year, accompanied by corresponding confidence maps, for a group of 15 EAG species. The following 15 species are included...
Permafrost characterization at the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) site: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2018-2020 Permafrost characterization at the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) site: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2018-2020
Geophysical measurements and related field data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) site in Interior Alaska from 2018 to 2020 to characterize subsurface thermal and hydrologic conditions along a permafrost thaw gradient. The APEX site is managed by the Bonanza Creek LTER (Long Term Ecological Research). In April 2018, seven...
Eyes on Earth Episode 105 – Imagery Challenges of Alaska
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we focus on Alaska. Rich in wildlife and natural resources, not to mention its sheer size, Alaska has long been a source of fascination for remote sensing scientists. But it is also a source of frustration, with frequent cloud and snow cover and months of darkness each year. Three EROS researchers well versed in interpreting Landsat imagery from Alaska shared...
Filter Total Items: 26
Upland Yedoma taliks are an unpredicted source of atmospheric methane Upland Yedoma taliks are an unpredicted source of atmospheric methane
Landscape drying associated with permafrost thaw is expected to enhance microbial methane oxidation in arctic soils. Here we show that ice-rich, Yedoma permafrost deposits, comprising a disproportionately large fraction of pan-arctic soil carbon, present an alternate trajectory. Field and laboratory observations indicate that talik (perennially thawed soils in permafrost) development in
Authors
Katey M. Walter Anthony, Nicholas Hasson, Colin Edgar, Orit Sivan, Effrat Eliani-Russak, Oded Bergman, Burke Minsley, Stephanie James, Neal Pastick, Alexander Kholodov, Sergey Zimov, Eugenie Euskirchen, Marion Bret-Harte, Guido Grosse, Moritz Langer, Jan Nitzbon
Investigating permafrost carbon dynamics in Alaska with artificial intelligence Investigating permafrost carbon dynamics in Alaska with artificial intelligence
Positive feedbacks between permafrost degradation and the release of soil carbon into the atmosphere impact land–atmosphere interactions, disrupt the global carbon cycle, and accelerate climate change. The widespread distribution of thawing permafrost is causing a cascade of geophysical and biochemical disturbances with global impacts. Currently, few earth system models account for...
Authors
Bradley Gay, Neal Pastick, Andreas Zufle, Amanda Armstrong, Kimberly Miner, J.J. Qu
Rapid and gradual permafrost thaw: A tale of two sites Rapid and gradual permafrost thaw: A tale of two sites
Warming temperatures and increasing disturbance by wildfire and extreme weather events is driving permafrost change across northern latitudes. The state of permafrost varies widely in space and time, depending on landscape, climate, hydrologic, and ecological factors. Despite its importance, few approaches commonly measure and monitor the changes in deep (>1 m) permafrost conditions with...
Authors
Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, Stephanie James, Dana R.N. Brown, Bruce K. Wylie, Mason A. Kass, Vladimir Romanovsky
Heterogeneous patterns of aged organic carbon export driven by hydrologic flow paths, soil texture, fire, and thaw in discontinuous permafrost headwaters Heterogeneous patterns of aged organic carbon export driven by hydrologic flow paths, soil texture, fire, and thaw in discontinuous permafrost headwaters
Climate change is thawing and potentially mobilizing vast quantities of organic carbon (OC) previously stored for millennia in permafrost soils of northern circumpolar landscapes. Climate-driven increases in fire and thermokarst may play a key role in OC mobilization by thawing permafrost and promoting transport of OC. Yet, the extent of OC mobilization and mechanisms controlling...
Authors
Joshua Koch, Matthew Bogard, David Butman, Kerri Finlay, Brian A. Ebel, Jason James, Sarah Johnston, Torre Jorgenson, Neal Pastick, Rob Spencer, Rob Striegl, Michelle Walvoord, Kimberly Wickland
Multi-species inference of exotic annual and native perennial grasses in rangelands of the western United States using Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 data Multi-species inference of exotic annual and native perennial grasses in rangelands of the western United States using Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 data
The invasion of exotic annual grass (EAG), e.g., cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), into rangeland ecosystems of the western United States is a broad-scale problem that affects wildlife habitats, increases wildfire frequency, and adds to land management costs. However, identifying individual species of EAG abundance from remote sensing, particularly...
Authors
Devendra Dahal, Neal Pastick, Stephen P. Boyte, Sujan Parajuli, Michael Oimoen, Logan Megard
Characterizing methane emission hotspots from thawing permafrost Characterizing methane emission hotspots from thawing permafrost
Methane (CH4) emissions from climate-sensitive ecosystems within the northern permafrost region represent a potentially large but highly uncertain source, with current estimates spanning a factor of seven (11–75 Tg CH4 yr−1). Accelerating permafrost thaw threatens significant increases in pan-Arctic CH4 emissions, amplifying the permafrost carbon feedback. We used airborne imaging...
Authors
Clayton Elder, David Thompson, Andrew Thorpe, Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar, Philip Hanke, Nicholas Hasson, Stephanie James, Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, David Olefeldt, Katey M Walter Anthony, Charles Miller
The climate envelope of Alaska’s northern treelines: Implications for controlling factors and future treeline advance The climate envelope of Alaska’s northern treelines: Implications for controlling factors and future treeline advance
Understanding the key mechanisms that control northern treelines is important to accurately predict biome shifts and terrestrial feedbacks to climate. At a global scale, it has long been observed that elevational and latitudinal treelines occur at similar mean growing season air temperature (GSAT) isotherms, inspiring the growth limitation hypothesis (GLH) that cold GSAT limits...
Authors
Colin Maher, Roman Dial, Neal J Pastick, Rebecca Hewitt, M. Torre Jorgenson, Patrick F. Sullivan
Rapid monitoring of the abundance and spread of exotic annual grasses in the western United States using remote sensing and machine learning Rapid monitoring of the abundance and spread of exotic annual grasses in the western United States using remote sensing and machine learning
Exotic annual grasses (EAG) are one of the most damaging agents of change in western North America. Despite known socio-environmental effects of EAG there remains a need to enhance monitoring capabilities for better informing conservation and management practices. Here, we integrate field observations, remote sensing and climate data with machine-learning techniques to estimate and...
Authors
Neal Pastick, Bruce Wylie, Matthew Rigge, Devendra Dahal, Stephen P. Boyte, Matthew Jones, Brady Allred, Sujan Parajuli, Zhuoting Wu
Decadal-scale hotspot methane ebullition within lakes following abrupt permafrost thaw Decadal-scale hotspot methane ebullition within lakes following abrupt permafrost thaw
Thermokarst lakes accelerate deep permafrost thaw and the mobilization of previously frozen soil organic carbon. This leads to microbial decomposition and large releases of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) that enhance climate warming. However, the time scale of permafrost-carbon emissions following thaw is not well known but is important for understanding how abrupt permafrost...
Authors
K.W. Anthony, P. Lindgren, P. Hanke, M. Engram, P. Anthony, R. Daanen, A. Bondurant, A.K. Liljedahl, J. Lenz, G. Grosse, B.M. Jones, L. Brosius, Stephanie James, Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, J. Munk, J. P. Chanton, C.E. Miller, F.J. Meyer
USGS permafrost research determines the risks of permafrost thaw to biologic and hydrologic resources USGS permafrost research determines the risks of permafrost thaw to biologic and hydrologic resources
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with university, Federal, Tribal, and independent partners, conducts fundamental research on the distribution, vulnerability, and importance of permafrost in arctic and boreal ecosystems. Scientists, land managers, and policy makers use USGS data to help make decisions for development, wildlife habitat, and other needs. Native villages...
Authors
Mark Waldrop, Lesleigh Anderson, Mark Dornblaser, Li Erikson, Ann Gibbs, Nicole Herman-Mercer, Stephanie R. James, Miriam Jones, Joshua Koch, Mary-Cathrine Leewis, Kristen Manies, Burke Minsley, Neal Pastick, Vijay Patil, Frank Urban, Michelle Walvoord, Kimberly Wickland, Christian Zimmerman
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Land Change Science Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Land Change Science Program, Volcano Hazards Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Volcano Science Center
Characterizing land surface phenology and exotic annual grasses in dryland ecosystems using Landsat and Sentinel-2 data in harmony Characterizing land surface phenology and exotic annual grasses in dryland ecosystems using Landsat and Sentinel-2 data in harmony
Invasive annual grasses, such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), have proliferated in dryland ecosystems of the western United States, promoting increased fire activity and reduced biodiversity that can be detrimental to socio-environmental systems. Monitoring exotic annual grass cover and dynamics over large areas requires the use of remote sensing that can support early detection and...
Authors
Neal Pastick, Devendra Dahal, Bruce Wylie, Sujan Parajuli, Stephen Boyte, Zhuoting Wu
Geospatial data mining for digital raster mapping Geospatial data mining for digital raster mapping
We performed an in-depth literature survey to identify the most popular data mining approaches that have been applied for raster mapping of ecological parameters through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remotely sensed data. Popular data mining approaches included decision trees or “data mining” trees which consist of regression and classification trees, random forests...
Authors
Bruce Wylie, Neal Pastick, Joshua Picotte, Carol Deering
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.