Neal J Pastick, PhD
Neal Pastick is a Research Physical Scientist with the Earth Resources and Observation Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Dr. Pastick has conducted data science research for environmental applications over the past 15 years, in close collaboration with a diverse set of geoscientists from industry, federal, and academic institutions. His work primarily focuses on the comprehensive characterization of Earth systems by integrating field observations, ecological insights, remote sensing technologies, and cutting-edge advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This multidisciplinary approach has yielded significant contributions to our understanding of landscape dynamics and environmental change. Recently, this research has focused on several key areas related to climate change and environmental disturbances:
- Investigating the effects on the cryosphere, hydrology, and vegetation across northern circumpolar regions.
- Studying land cover conditions and the spread of invasive annual grasses in drylands of the western United States.
- Monitoring and mapping the distribution of soil properties and conditions in Alaska and other regions.
Dr. Pastick has authored over 30 referred publications and contributed to approximately 50 presentations given at scientific meetings. His research has been covered by numerous news agencies (e.g., the Guardian, the Washington Post) and popular magazines (e.g., Scientific American).
Professional Experience
Advance and formulate new USGS initiatives focusing on AI/ML and advanced computing for environmental science applications.
Integrate multimodal data sources and models to achieve a comprehensive understanding of Earth's terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Assess the historical and potential future impacts of climate change and other agents on fragile and rapidly evolving ecosystems, including the Arctic, Boreal regions, and Drylands.
Foster collaboration between USGS, academia, industry, and government agencies to push the boundaries of Earth science and promote AI/ML innovations in environmental research.
Apply ecological theory and a deep understanding of Earth system processes to develop and refine scientific workflows that address complex environmental and natural resource challenges.
Lead cutting-edge physical science studies on complex environmental processes, ensuring meticulous execution and transparent reporting, and confidently present findings in public and scientific forums.
Serve as a key consultant for AI/ML and spatiotemporal data challenges, offering expert advice to scientists and program specialists across various disciplines.
Design and manage projects that explore the effects of human-induced changes and natural disturbances on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Education and Certifications
PhD. in Natural Resources Science & Management (Assessment, Monitoring, and Geospatial Analysis track; University of Minnesota – Twin Cities)
B.S. in Geography and Business Management (Minnesota State University, Mankato).
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 19
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 corresponding co
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 confidence m
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 subsurface perm
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 confidence maps f
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 briziformis, Brom
Fractional Estimates of Multiple Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) Species and Sandberg bluegrass in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2016 - 2022 (ver. 3.0, July 2023)
These datasets provide historical (2016 - 2021) estimates of fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and a native perennial bunch grass. The study area covers arid and semi-arid rangelands of the western U.S. Four fractional cover maps per year comprise this release, along with the corresponding confidence maps, for: 1) a group of 17 species of EAGs; 2) cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum);
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 boreholes were em
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, May 2021, v1
This dataset provides early estimates of 2021 exotic annual grasses (EAG) fractional cover predicted on May 3rd. We develop and release EAG fractional cover map with an emphasis on cheatgrass (Bromus tectrorum) but it also includes number of other species, i.e., Bromus arvensis L., Bromus briziformis, Bromus catharticus Vahl, Bromus commutatus, Bromus diandrus, Bromus hordeaceus L., Bromus japonic
Weekly cloud free Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data for western United States (2016 – 2019).
In support of mapping ecological conditions (e.g. invasive annual grass) in sagebrush-dominated landscapes of the western United States, we developed weekly (starting from week 7 to week 42 and Week 1 starts January 1 or Day of the year 1 to 7, week 2 is from Day of year 8 to 14, and so on) 30-m cloud-free Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from 2016 to 2019. The data was generated with
Fire impacts on permafrost in Alaska: Geophysical and other field data collected in 2015
Fire can be a significant driver of permafrost change in boreal landscapes, altering the availability of soil carbon and nutrients that have important implications for future climate and ecological succession. However, not all landscapes are equally susceptible to fire-induced change. As fire frequency is expected to increase in the high latitudes, methods to understand the vulnerability and resil
Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2019-2020
Geophysical measurements were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at two sites in Interior Alaska in 2019 and 2020 for the purposes of imaging permafrost structure and quantifying variations in subsurface moisture content in relation to thaw features. In September 2019, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and downhole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were used to quantify perma
Near real time estimation of annual exotic herbaceous fractional cover in the sagebrush ecosystem 30m, USA, July 2020
The dataset provides a near real time estimation of 2020 herbaceous mostly annual fractional cover predicted on July 1st with an emphasis on annual exotic grasses Historically, similar maps were produced at a spatial resolution of 250m (Boyte et al. 2019 https://doi.org/10.5066/P96PVZIF., Boyte et al. 2018 https://doi.org/10.5066/P9RIV03D.), but starting this year we are mapping at a 30m resolutio
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.
Filter Total Items: 25
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 permafrost carb
Authors
Bradley Gay, Neal Pastick, Andreas Zufle, Amanda Armstrong, Kimberly Miner, J.J. Qu
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 high spat
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, Neal Pastick, Stephanie R. James, Dana R.N. Brown, Bruce K. Wylie, Mason A. Kass, Vladimir E. Romanovsky
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 terrestrial-aquat
Authors
Joshua C. Koch, Matthew Bogard, David Butman, Kerri Finlay, Brian A. Ebel, Jason James, Sarah Ellen Johnston, Torre Jorgenson, Neal Pastick, Rob Spencer, Rob Striegl, Michelle A. 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
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 at early
Authors
Devendra Dahal, Neal J. Pastick, Stephen P. Boyte, Sujan Parajuli, Michael J. Oimoen, Logan J. Megard
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 spectroscopy wit
Authors
Clayton D. Elder, David R. Thompson, Andrew K Thorpe, Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar, Philip J Hanke, Nicholas Hasson, Stephanie R. James, Burke J. Minsley, Neal J. Pastick, David Olefeldt, Katey M Walter Anthony, Charles E. Miller
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 aboveground growth
Authors
Colin T. Maher, Roman J. Dial, Neal J Pastick, Rebecca E. 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
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
Authors
Neal Pastick, Bruce Wylie, Matthew B. Rigge, Devendra Dahal, Stephen P. Boyte, Matthew O. Jones, Brady W Allred, Sujan Parajuli, Zhuoting Wu
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 thaw impacts
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. S. Brosius, Stephanie R. James, Burke J. 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
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 and cities
Authors
Mark P. Waldrop, Lesleigh Anderson, Mark Dornblaser, Li H. Erikson, Ann E. Gibbs, Nicole M. Herman-Mercer, Stephanie R. James, Miriam C. Jones, Joshua C. Koch, Mary-Cathrine Leewis, Kristen L. Manies, Burke J. Minsley, Neal J. Pastick, Vijay Patil, Frank Urban, Michelle A. Walvoord, Kimberly P. Wickland, Christian Zimmerman
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Climate Research and Development 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
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 rapid resp
Authors
Neal Pastick, Devendra Dahal, Bruce K. Wylie, Sujan Parajuli, Stephen P. Boyte, Zhuoting Wu
Multi-scale geophysical mapping of deep permafrost change after disturbance in interior Alaska, USA
Disturbance related to fire or hydrologic processes can cause degradation of deep (greater than 1 m) permafrost. These changes in deep permafrost have the potential to impact landscapes and infrastructure, alter the routing and distribution of surface water or groundwater, and may contribute to the flux of carbon to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, characterization of deep permafrost o
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, Benjamin R. Bloss, Brian A. Ebel, David Matthew Rey, Michelle A. Walvoord, Dana R.N. Brown, Ronald Daanen, Abraham M. Emond, M. Andy Kass, Neal J. Pastick, Bruce Wylie
Spatiotemporal remote sensing of ecosystem change and causation across Alaska
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 characteriz
Authors
Neal J. Pastick, M. Torre Jorgenson, Scott J. Goetz, Benjamin M. Jones, Bruce K. Wylie, Burke J. Minsley, Hélène Genet, Joseph F. Knight, David K. Swanson, Janet C. Jorgenson
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: 19
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 corresponding co
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 confidence m
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 subsurface perm
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 confidence maps f
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 briziformis, Brom
Fractional Estimates of Multiple Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) Species and Sandberg bluegrass in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2016 - 2022 (ver. 3.0, July 2023)
These datasets provide historical (2016 - 2021) estimates of fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and a native perennial bunch grass. The study area covers arid and semi-arid rangelands of the western U.S. Four fractional cover maps per year comprise this release, along with the corresponding confidence maps, for: 1) a group of 17 species of EAGs; 2) cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum);
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 boreholes were em
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, May 2021, v1
This dataset provides early estimates of 2021 exotic annual grasses (EAG) fractional cover predicted on May 3rd. We develop and release EAG fractional cover map with an emphasis on cheatgrass (Bromus tectrorum) but it also includes number of other species, i.e., Bromus arvensis L., Bromus briziformis, Bromus catharticus Vahl, Bromus commutatus, Bromus diandrus, Bromus hordeaceus L., Bromus japonic
Weekly cloud free Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data for western United States (2016 – 2019).
In support of mapping ecological conditions (e.g. invasive annual grass) in sagebrush-dominated landscapes of the western United States, we developed weekly (starting from week 7 to week 42 and Week 1 starts January 1 or Day of the year 1 to 7, week 2 is from Day of year 8 to 14, and so on) 30-m cloud-free Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from 2016 to 2019. The data was generated with
Fire impacts on permafrost in Alaska: Geophysical and other field data collected in 2015
Fire can be a significant driver of permafrost change in boreal landscapes, altering the availability of soil carbon and nutrients that have important implications for future climate and ecological succession. However, not all landscapes are equally susceptible to fire-induced change. As fire frequency is expected to increase in the high latitudes, methods to understand the vulnerability and resil
Alaska permafrost characterization: Geophysical and related field data collected from 2019-2020
Geophysical measurements were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at two sites in Interior Alaska in 2019 and 2020 for the purposes of imaging permafrost structure and quantifying variations in subsurface moisture content in relation to thaw features. In September 2019, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and downhole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were used to quantify perma
Near real time estimation of annual exotic herbaceous fractional cover in the sagebrush ecosystem 30m, USA, July 2020
The dataset provides a near real time estimation of 2020 herbaceous mostly annual fractional cover predicted on July 1st with an emphasis on annual exotic grasses Historically, similar maps were produced at a spatial resolution of 250m (Boyte et al. 2019 https://doi.org/10.5066/P96PVZIF., Boyte et al. 2018 https://doi.org/10.5066/P9RIV03D.), but starting this year we are mapping at a 30m resolutio
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.
Filter Total Items: 25
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 permafrost carb
Authors
Bradley Gay, Neal Pastick, Andreas Zufle, Amanda Armstrong, Kimberly Miner, J.J. Qu
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 high spat
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, Neal Pastick, Stephanie R. James, Dana R.N. Brown, Bruce K. Wylie, Mason A. Kass, Vladimir E. Romanovsky
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 terrestrial-aquat
Authors
Joshua C. Koch, Matthew Bogard, David Butman, Kerri Finlay, Brian A. Ebel, Jason James, Sarah Ellen Johnston, Torre Jorgenson, Neal Pastick, Rob Spencer, Rob Striegl, Michelle A. 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
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 at early
Authors
Devendra Dahal, Neal J. Pastick, Stephen P. Boyte, Sujan Parajuli, Michael J. Oimoen, Logan J. Megard
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 spectroscopy wit
Authors
Clayton D. Elder, David R. Thompson, Andrew K Thorpe, Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar, Philip J Hanke, Nicholas Hasson, Stephanie R. James, Burke J. Minsley, Neal J. Pastick, David Olefeldt, Katey M Walter Anthony, Charles E. Miller
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 aboveground growth
Authors
Colin T. Maher, Roman J. Dial, Neal J Pastick, Rebecca E. 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
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
Authors
Neal Pastick, Bruce Wylie, Matthew B. Rigge, Devendra Dahal, Stephen P. Boyte, Matthew O. Jones, Brady W Allred, Sujan Parajuli, Zhuoting Wu
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 thaw impacts
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. S. Brosius, Stephanie R. James, Burke J. 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
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 and cities
Authors
Mark P. Waldrop, Lesleigh Anderson, Mark Dornblaser, Li H. Erikson, Ann E. Gibbs, Nicole M. Herman-Mercer, Stephanie R. James, Miriam C. Jones, Joshua C. Koch, Mary-Cathrine Leewis, Kristen L. Manies, Burke J. Minsley, Neal J. Pastick, Vijay Patil, Frank Urban, Michelle A. Walvoord, Kimberly P. Wickland, Christian Zimmerman
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Climate Research and Development 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
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 rapid resp
Authors
Neal Pastick, Devendra Dahal, Bruce K. Wylie, Sujan Parajuli, Stephen P. Boyte, Zhuoting Wu
Multi-scale geophysical mapping of deep permafrost change after disturbance in interior Alaska, USA
Disturbance related to fire or hydrologic processes can cause degradation of deep (greater than 1 m) permafrost. These changes in deep permafrost have the potential to impact landscapes and infrastructure, alter the routing and distribution of surface water or groundwater, and may contribute to the flux of carbon to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, characterization of deep permafrost o
Authors
Burke J. Minsley, Benjamin R. Bloss, Brian A. Ebel, David Matthew Rey, Michelle A. Walvoord, Dana R.N. Brown, Ronald Daanen, Abraham M. Emond, M. Andy Kass, Neal J. Pastick, Bruce Wylie
Spatiotemporal remote sensing of ecosystem change and causation across Alaska
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 characteriz
Authors
Neal J. Pastick, M. Torre Jorgenson, Scott J. Goetz, Benjamin M. Jones, Bruce K. Wylie, Burke J. Minsley, Hélène Genet, Joseph F. Knight, David K. Swanson, Janet C. Jorgenson
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.