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Landscape Change

Landscape change is a key driver of environmental change and has important implications related to climate variability and change, biodiversity, natural resources, and ecosystems. This webpage has links to information about landscape change research done by scientists at the USGS Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center (GEC SC) in Denver, Colorado. 

Filter Total Items: 18

Invasive Annual Grass (IAG) Spatial Dataset Compilation and Synthesis

USGS is working closely with partners in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Intermountain West Joint Venture (IMJV) to collect and summarize spatial datasets that describe measurable aspects of invasive annual grasses (e.g., biomass or presence) across the western United Stated and beyond. The products developed through this project provide...
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Invasive Annual Grass (IAG) Spatial Dataset Compilation and Synthesis

USGS is working closely with partners in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Intermountain West Joint Venture (IMJV) to collect and summarize spatial datasets that describe measurable aspects of invasive annual grasses (e.g., biomass or presence) across the western United Stated and beyond. The products developed through this project provide...
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Optimization of Management Actions for Restoration Success and Wildlife Populations

USGS researchers, in collaboration with the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative and other partners, are developing a statistically based prioritization tool that will aid agencies in their management decisions.
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Optimization of Management Actions for Restoration Success and Wildlife Populations

USGS researchers, in collaboration with the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative and other partners, are developing a statistically based prioritization tool that will aid agencies in their management decisions.
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Using remotely sensed data to evaluate aspects of land health at watershed scales for the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages for conditions that sustain land health on over 1 million acres of public rangelands. The BLM has traditionally assessed rangelands using small-scale data, but agency guidance suggests assessment of land health standards at watershed scales. We are exploring methods to integrate remotely sensed data into BLM land health processes.
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Using remotely sensed data to evaluate aspects of land health at watershed scales for the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages for conditions that sustain land health on over 1 million acres of public rangelands. The BLM has traditionally assessed rangelands using small-scale data, but agency guidance suggests assessment of land health standards at watershed scales. We are exploring methods to integrate remotely sensed data into BLM land health processes.
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Understanding and fostering use of habitat models for rare plants in Bureau of Land Management planning and management decisions

The use of rare plant habitat models in public lands decisions can be hampered by factors such as a lack of understanding of or confidence in underlying data, a lack of access to models, and a lack of opportunity for model use in decisions. This project seeks to explore and suggest potential solutions to these challenges, facilitating greater use of habitat models in public lands decision-making.
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Understanding and fostering use of habitat models for rare plants in Bureau of Land Management planning and management decisions

The use of rare plant habitat models in public lands decisions can be hampered by factors such as a lack of understanding of or confidence in underlying data, a lack of access to models, and a lack of opportunity for model use in decisions. This project seeks to explore and suggest potential solutions to these challenges, facilitating greater use of habitat models in public lands decision-making.
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A Climate Vulnerability Assessment Framework for Data-Poor Species

Assessing vulnerability to climate change is a key step in anticipating climate impacts on species.
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A Climate Vulnerability Assessment Framework for Data-Poor Species

Assessing vulnerability to climate change is a key step in anticipating climate impacts on species.
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Denali National Park Geohazards Geologic Mapping

Denali National Park (DENA) is a major draw for tourism and recreation and a major economic engine for central Alaska. However, the geologic forces that created the steep landscape of DENA also make it prone to geologic hazards (geohazards) like landslides, debris flows, and earthquakes. DENA has only one major road, called the ‘Park Road’, that serves nearly all of its infrastructure. Since 2017...
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Denali National Park Geohazards Geologic Mapping

Denali National Park (DENA) is a major draw for tourism and recreation and a major economic engine for central Alaska. However, the geologic forces that created the steep landscape of DENA also make it prone to geologic hazards (geohazards) like landslides, debris flows, and earthquakes. DENA has only one major road, called the ‘Park Road’, that serves nearly all of its infrastructure. Since 2017...
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Forecasting the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Sagebrush in Wyoming Under a Changing Climate

Prioritizing landscapes for sage-grouse habitat conservation is complicated by long-term changes in climate.
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Forecasting the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Sagebrush in Wyoming Under a Changing Climate

Prioritizing landscapes for sage-grouse habitat conservation is complicated by long-term changes in climate.
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Defining Multi-Scaled Functional Landscape Connectivity for the Sagebrush Biome to Support Management and Conservation Planning of Multiple Species

USGS and Colorado State University scientists are modelling multispecies connectivity through intact and disturbed areas of the sagebrush landscape.
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Defining Multi-Scaled Functional Landscape Connectivity for the Sagebrush Biome to Support Management and Conservation Planning of Multiple Species

USGS and Colorado State University scientists are modelling multispecies connectivity through intact and disturbed areas of the sagebrush landscape.
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Remote Sensing of Ecosystem Condition and Resilience

Ecosystem condition tends to be highly dynamic in response to natural variability in climate, extreme climate events, disturbance events, and human land use activities. Satellite imagery provides a powerful tool to enhance our understanding of ecosystem change at a landscape scale. This research integrates diverse sources of satellite imagery with ancillary datasets to explore how ecosystems...
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Remote Sensing of Ecosystem Condition and Resilience

Ecosystem condition tends to be highly dynamic in response to natural variability in climate, extreme climate events, disturbance events, and human land use activities. Satellite imagery provides a powerful tool to enhance our understanding of ecosystem change at a landscape scale. This research integrates diverse sources of satellite imagery with ancillary datasets to explore how ecosystems...
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Assessing the Proliferation, Connectivity, and Consequences of Invasive Fine Fuels

Invasive annual grasses (fine fuels) are a significant challenge for land and wildlife management.
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Soil-Climate Modeling To Improve Understanding of Pattern and Processes in Sagebrush Ecosystems: A Spatially Explicit Soil Classification

Resistance and resilience concepts provide an important framework for sagebrush habitat management. Existing spatial products have been developed using NRCS soil data; models using new data and methods can improve these products.
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Soil-Climate Modeling To Improve Understanding of Pattern and Processes in Sagebrush Ecosystems: A Spatially Explicit Soil Classification

Resistance and resilience concepts provide an important framework for sagebrush habitat management. Existing spatial products have been developed using NRCS soil data; models using new data and methods can improve these products.
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The Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team

Wildfires cost billions of dollars to suppress annually, yet they still devastate lives, communities, and ecosystems. While wildfire is a natural phenomenon, learning to live with wildfire is a social issue – so we need a social solution.
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The Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team

Wildfires cost billions of dollars to suppress annually, yet they still devastate lives, communities, and ecosystems. While wildfire is a natural phenomenon, learning to live with wildfire is a social issue – so we need a social solution.
Learn More