Matthew Rigge is an ecologist working for the U.S Geological Survey at the USGS Earth Resources Observations and Science Center in Sioux Falls, SD.
Matthew Rigge is an ecologist working for the U.S Geological Survey at the USGS Earth Resources Observations and Science Center in Sioux Falls, SD. His focus is quantifying the current and historical condition of rangelands across the western United States. This is accomplished by producing and analyzing fractional vegetation cover maps using remote sensing and machine learning. Ongoing work will continue to enhance the accuracy and applicability of the fractional cover maps and project to future conditions using statistical approaches. These data fuel investigations into the drivers of change in rangeland systems, including climate change, interannual weather variation, and land management practices. Other projects while at the USGS have included high-resolution analyses of riparian vegetation response to Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation in rangelands, mapping disturbance influences on rangeland carbon flux and productivity gradients across the Great Plains, USA, and phenological analyses of rangelands.
Science and Products
Eyes on Earth Episode 42 – Rangelands of the U.S.
Eyes on Earth is a podcast on remote sensing, Earth observation, land change and science, brought to you by the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. In this episode, we hear how Landsat helps monitor vulnerable rangelands in the Western U.S.
Biophysical drivers for predicting the distribution and abundance of invasive yellow sweet clover in the Northern Great Plains
Yellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis; YSC), an invasive biennial legume, bloomed throughout the Northern Great Plains (NGP) following greater-than-average precipitation during 2018-2019. YSC can increase nitrogen (N) levels and potentially cause broad changes in the composition of native plant species communities. There is little knowledge of the drivers behind its spatiotemporal variability,
Projections of Rangeland Fractional Component Cover Across the Sagebrush Biome for Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 Scenarios for the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s Time-Periods (ver. 1.1, April 2022)
Climate change over the past century has altered vegetation community composition and species distributions across rangelands in the western United States. The scale and magnitude of climatic influences are unknown. While a number of studies have projected the impacts of climate change using several modeling approaches, none has evaluated impacts to fractional component cover at a 30-m resolution
Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) Fractional Component Time-Series Across the Western U.S. 1985-2020
The RCMAP (Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection) dataset quantifies the percent cover of rangeland components across the western U.S. using Landsat imagery from 1985-2020. The RCMAP product suite consists of eight fractional components: annual herbaceous, bare ground, herbaceous, litter, non-sagebrush shrub, perennial herbaceous, sagebrush, shrub and rule-based error maps inclu
Ecological Potential Fractional Component Cover Based on Long-Term Satellite Observations Across the Western United States
Rangelands have immense inherent spatial and temporal variability, yet assessments of land condition and trends are often assessed relative to the condition of a limited number of representative points. Ecological Potential (EP) data are spatially comprehensive, quantitative, and needed as a baseline for comparison of current rangeland vegetation conditions, trends, and management targets. We defi
Annual Herbaceous Cover across Rangelands of the Sagebrush Biome
Data is available on https://chohnz.users.earthengine.app/view/wga-product-comparison-means Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and other invasive annual grasses represent one of the single largest threats to the health and resilience of western rangelands. To address this challenge, the Western Governors Association (WGA)-appointed Western Invasive Species Council convened a cheatgrass working group to
Spatially-explicit land-cover scenarios of federal lands in the northern Great Basin, 2018-2050
As part of a 2018 Northwest Climate Adaptation and Science Center project, USGS researchers are releasing a series of spatially-explicit land-cover projections for the period 2018-2050 covering part of the northern Great Basin (Beaty Butte Herd Management Area, Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, and Sheldon National Refuge). The dataset contains an empirically-based business-as-usual (BAU) an
Long-Term Site Potential Rangeland Fractional Component Cover and Deviation in Wyoming, USA
Monitoring rangelands by identifying the departure of contemporary conditions from long-term ecological potential allows for the disentanglement of natural biophysical gradients driving change from changes due to land uses and other disturbance types. We developed maps of ecological potential (EP) for shrub, sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), perennial herbaceous, litter, and bare ground fractional cover
Temporal and Spatio-Temporal High-Resolution Satellite Data for the Validation of a Landsat Time-Series of Fractional Component Cover Across Western United States (U.S.) Rangelands
Western U.S. rangelands have been quantified as six fractional cover (0-100%) components over the Landsat archive (1985-2018) at 30-m resolution, termed the "Back-in-Time" (BIT) dataset. Robust validation through space and time is needed to quantify product accuracy. We leverage field data observed concurrently with HRS imagery over multiple years and locations in the Western U.S. to dramatically
National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2016 Shrubland Fractional Components for the Western U.S. (ver. 2.0, October 2019)
This data release has been superseded by version 3.0, available here: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9MJVQSQ
Quantifying Western U.S. shrublands as a series of fractional components with remote sensing provides a new way to understand these changing ecosystems. The USGS NLCD team in collaboration with the BLM has produced the most comprehensive remote sensing-based quantification of Western U.S. shrubl
Filter Total Items: 31
Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection, 1985–2021
The Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) project quantifies the percentage cover of rangeland components across the western United States using Landsat imagery from 1985 to 2021. The RCMAP product suite consists of nine fractional components: annual herbaceous, bare ground, herbaceous, litter, nonsagebrush shrub, perennial herbaceous, sagebrush, shrub, and tree, in addi
Trends analysis of Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) fractional component time series (1985–2020)
Rangelands have a dynamic response to climate change, fire, and other anthropogenic disturbances. The Rangeland Condition, Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (RCMAP) product aims to capture this response by quantifying the percent cover of eight rangeland components, associated error, and trends across the western United States using Landsat from 1985 to 2020. The current generation of RCMAP h
Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP)
The Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) project has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to provide annual maps of rangeland vegetation condition across the Western United States from 1985 to present. Annual mapping can assist land managers and scientists with monitoring changes to vegetation composition, evaluating past management practices, targeting future i
Ecological potential fractional component cover based on Long-Term satellite observations across the western United States
Rangelands have immense inherent spatial and temporal variability, yet land condition and trends are often assessed at a limited number of spatially “representative” points. Spatially comprehensive, and quantitative, Ecological Potential (EP) data provide a baseline for comparison to current rangeland vegetation conditions and trends. Here, we define EP as potential fractional cover (bare ground,
Guiding principles for using satellite-derived maps in rangeland management
On the GroundRangeland management has entered a new era with the accessibility and advancement of satellite-derived maps.Maps provide a comprehensive view of rangelands in space and time, and challenge us to think critically about natural variability.Here, we advance the practice of using satellite-derived maps with four guiding principles designed to increase end user confidence and thereby acces
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 assess patterns
Rangeland fractional components across the western United States from 1985 to 2018
Monitoring temporal dynamics of rangelands to detect and understand change in vegetation cover and composition provides a wealth of information to improve management and sustainability. Remote sensing allows the evaluation of both abrupt and gradual rangeland change at unprecedented spatial and temporal extents. Here, we describe the production of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Back in Ti
Analyzing vegetation change in a sagebrush ecosystem using long-term field observations and Landsat imagery in Wyoming
The importance of monitoring shrublands to detect and understand changes through time is increasingly recognized as critical to management. This research focuses on ecological change observed over 10 yr of field observation at 126 plots and over 35 yr of the Landsat archive in a shrubland ecosystem. Field data consisting of the fractional cover of shrubs, sagebrush, herbs, litter, and bare ground
Application of empirical land-cover changes to construct climate change scenarios in federally managed lands
Sagebrush-dominant ecosystems in the western United States are highly vulnerable to climatic variability. To understand how these ecosystems will respond under potential future conditions, we correlated changes in National Land Cover Dataset “Back-in-Time” fractional cover maps from 1985-2018 with Daymet climate data in three federally managed preserves in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem: Beaty But
Departures of rangeland fractional component cover and land cover from landsat-based ecological potential in Wyoming USA
Monitoring rangelands by identifying the departure of contemporary conditions from long-term ecological potential allows for the disentanglement of natural biophysical gradients driving change from changes associated with land uses and other disturbance types. We developed maps of ecological potential (EP) for shrub, sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), perennial herbaceous, litter, and bare ground fractio
Quantifying western U.S. rangelands as fractional components with landsat
Quantifying western U.S. rangelands as a series of fractional components with remote sensing provides a new way to understand these changing ecosystems. Nine rangeland ecosystem components, including percent shrub, sagebrush (Artemisia), big sagebrush, herbaceous, annual herbaceous, litter, and bare ground cover, along with sagebrush and shrub heights, were quantified at 30 m resolution. Extensive
Validating a landsat time-series of fractional component cover across western U.S. Rangelands
Western U.S. rangelands have been quantified as six fractional cover (0%–100%) components
over the Landsat archive (1985–2018) at a 30 m resolution, termed the “Back-in-Time” (BIT) dataset. Robust validation through space and time is needed to quantify product accuracy. Here, we used field data collected concurrently with high-resolution satellite (HRS) images over multiple locations (n = 42) and
Science and Products
- Science
Eyes on Earth Episode 42 – Rangelands of the U.S.
Eyes on Earth is a podcast on remote sensing, Earth observation, land change and science, brought to you by the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. In this episode, we hear how Landsat helps monitor vulnerable rangelands in the Western U.S.
- Data
Biophysical drivers for predicting the distribution and abundance of invasive yellow sweet clover in the Northern Great Plains
Yellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis; YSC), an invasive biennial legume, bloomed throughout the Northern Great Plains (NGP) following greater-than-average precipitation during 2018-2019. YSC can increase nitrogen (N) levels and potentially cause broad changes in the composition of native plant species communities. There is little knowledge of the drivers behind its spatiotemporal variability,Projections of Rangeland Fractional Component Cover Across the Sagebrush Biome for Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 Scenarios for the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s Time-Periods (ver. 1.1, April 2022)
Climate change over the past century has altered vegetation community composition and species distributions across rangelands in the western United States. The scale and magnitude of climatic influences are unknown. While a number of studies have projected the impacts of climate change using several modeling approaches, none has evaluated impacts to fractional component cover at a 30-m resolutionRangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) Fractional Component Time-Series Across the Western U.S. 1985-2020
The RCMAP (Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection) dataset quantifies the percent cover of rangeland components across the western U.S. using Landsat imagery from 1985-2020. The RCMAP product suite consists of eight fractional components: annual herbaceous, bare ground, herbaceous, litter, non-sagebrush shrub, perennial herbaceous, sagebrush, shrub and rule-based error maps incluEcological Potential Fractional Component Cover Based on Long-Term Satellite Observations Across the Western United States
Rangelands have immense inherent spatial and temporal variability, yet assessments of land condition and trends are often assessed relative to the condition of a limited number of representative points. Ecological Potential (EP) data are spatially comprehensive, quantitative, and needed as a baseline for comparison of current rangeland vegetation conditions, trends, and management targets. We defiAnnual Herbaceous Cover across Rangelands of the Sagebrush Biome
Data is available on https://chohnz.users.earthengine.app/view/wga-product-comparison-means Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and other invasive annual grasses represent one of the single largest threats to the health and resilience of western rangelands. To address this challenge, the Western Governors Association (WGA)-appointed Western Invasive Species Council convened a cheatgrass working group toSpatially-explicit land-cover scenarios of federal lands in the northern Great Basin, 2018-2050
As part of a 2018 Northwest Climate Adaptation and Science Center project, USGS researchers are releasing a series of spatially-explicit land-cover projections for the period 2018-2050 covering part of the northern Great Basin (Beaty Butte Herd Management Area, Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, and Sheldon National Refuge). The dataset contains an empirically-based business-as-usual (BAU) anLong-Term Site Potential Rangeland Fractional Component Cover and Deviation in Wyoming, USA
Monitoring rangelands by identifying the departure of contemporary conditions from long-term ecological potential allows for the disentanglement of natural biophysical gradients driving change from changes due to land uses and other disturbance types. We developed maps of ecological potential (EP) for shrub, sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), perennial herbaceous, litter, and bare ground fractional coverTemporal and Spatio-Temporal High-Resolution Satellite Data for the Validation of a Landsat Time-Series of Fractional Component Cover Across Western United States (U.S.) Rangelands
Western U.S. rangelands have been quantified as six fractional cover (0-100%) components over the Landsat archive (1985-2018) at 30-m resolution, termed the "Back-in-Time" (BIT) dataset. Robust validation through space and time is needed to quantify product accuracy. We leverage field data observed concurrently with HRS imagery over multiple years and locations in the Western U.S. to dramaticallyNational Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2016 Shrubland Fractional Components for the Western U.S. (ver. 2.0, October 2019)
This data release has been superseded by version 3.0, available here: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9MJVQSQ Quantifying Western U.S. shrublands as a series of fractional components with remote sensing provides a new way to understand these changing ecosystems. The USGS NLCD team in collaboration with the BLM has produced the most comprehensive remote sensing-based quantification of Western U.S. shrubl - Publications
Filter Total Items: 31
Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection, 1985–2021
The Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) project quantifies the percentage cover of rangeland components across the western United States using Landsat imagery from 1985 to 2021. The RCMAP product suite consists of nine fractional components: annual herbaceous, bare ground, herbaceous, litter, nonsagebrush shrub, perennial herbaceous, sagebrush, shrub, and tree, in addiTrends analysis of Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) fractional component time series (1985–2020)
Rangelands have a dynamic response to climate change, fire, and other anthropogenic disturbances. The Rangeland Condition, Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (RCMAP) product aims to capture this response by quantifying the percent cover of eight rangeland components, associated error, and trends across the western United States using Landsat from 1985 to 2020. The current generation of RCMAP hRangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP)
The Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) project has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to provide annual maps of rangeland vegetation condition across the Western United States from 1985 to present. Annual mapping can assist land managers and scientists with monitoring changes to vegetation composition, evaluating past management practices, targeting future iEcological potential fractional component cover based on Long-Term satellite observations across the western United States
Rangelands have immense inherent spatial and temporal variability, yet land condition and trends are often assessed at a limited number of spatially “representative” points. Spatially comprehensive, and quantitative, Ecological Potential (EP) data provide a baseline for comparison to current rangeland vegetation conditions and trends. Here, we define EP as potential fractional cover (bare ground,Guiding principles for using satellite-derived maps in rangeland management
On the GroundRangeland management has entered a new era with the accessibility and advancement of satellite-derived maps.Maps provide a comprehensive view of rangelands in space and time, and challenge us to think critically about natural variability.Here, we advance the practice of using satellite-derived maps with four guiding principles designed to increase end user confidence and thereby accesRapid 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 assess patternsRangeland fractional components across the western United States from 1985 to 2018
Monitoring temporal dynamics of rangelands to detect and understand change in vegetation cover and composition provides a wealth of information to improve management and sustainability. Remote sensing allows the evaluation of both abrupt and gradual rangeland change at unprecedented spatial and temporal extents. Here, we describe the production of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Back in TiAnalyzing vegetation change in a sagebrush ecosystem using long-term field observations and Landsat imagery in Wyoming
The importance of monitoring shrublands to detect and understand changes through time is increasingly recognized as critical to management. This research focuses on ecological change observed over 10 yr of field observation at 126 plots and over 35 yr of the Landsat archive in a shrubland ecosystem. Field data consisting of the fractional cover of shrubs, sagebrush, herbs, litter, and bare groundApplication of empirical land-cover changes to construct climate change scenarios in federally managed lands
Sagebrush-dominant ecosystems in the western United States are highly vulnerable to climatic variability. To understand how these ecosystems will respond under potential future conditions, we correlated changes in National Land Cover Dataset “Back-in-Time” fractional cover maps from 1985-2018 with Daymet climate data in three federally managed preserves in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem: Beaty ButDepartures of rangeland fractional component cover and land cover from landsat-based ecological potential in Wyoming USA
Monitoring rangelands by identifying the departure of contemporary conditions from long-term ecological potential allows for the disentanglement of natural biophysical gradients driving change from changes associated with land uses and other disturbance types. We developed maps of ecological potential (EP) for shrub, sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), perennial herbaceous, litter, and bare ground fractioQuantifying western U.S. rangelands as fractional components with landsat
Quantifying western U.S. rangelands as a series of fractional components with remote sensing provides a new way to understand these changing ecosystems. Nine rangeland ecosystem components, including percent shrub, sagebrush (Artemisia), big sagebrush, herbaceous, annual herbaceous, litter, and bare ground cover, along with sagebrush and shrub heights, were quantified at 30 m resolution. ExtensiveValidating a landsat time-series of fractional component cover across western U.S. Rangelands
Western U.S. rangelands have been quantified as six fractional cover (0%–100%) components over the Landsat archive (1985–2018) at a 30 m resolution, termed the “Back-in-Time” (BIT) dataset. Robust validation through space and time is needed to quantify product accuracy. Here, we used field data collected concurrently with high-resolution satellite (HRS) images over multiple locations (n = 42) and - News