Todd Hawbaker
Todd J. Hawbaker is a Research Ecologist with the Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center in Denver, Colorado.
Todd received his B.S. degree in animal ecology in 1998 from Iowa State University. After receiving his B.S., he worked for a couple of years burning and restoring tallgrass prairie in southwestern Minnesota and then pursued graduate school. He received his M.S. degree in forestry in 2003 and Ph.D. degree in forestry in 2009 from the University of Wisconsin. He joined the U.S. Geological Survey as a research ecologist in 2008. His current research with the USGS combines remote sensing with statistical and process-based ecosystem simulation models to understand the drivers behind ecosystem disturbances and quantify the impacts of disturbances on human and natural systems.
Professional Experience
Research Ecologist (Oct. 2012 - present), U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, CO
Research Ecologist (Aug. 2008 - Oct. 2012), U.S. Geological Survey, Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center, Denver, CO
Graduate Research Assistant (Sep. 2004 - July 2008), University of Wisconsin, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, Madison, WI
Research Intern (Sep. 2003 - Aug. 2004), University of Wisconsin, Department of Forest Ecology & Management, Madison, WI
Graduate Research Assistant (Jan. 2001 - Aug. 2003), University of Wisconsin, Department of Forest Ecology & Management, Madison, WI
Restoration Ecologist (May 1998 - Dec. 2000), Salix Ecological Resources, Windom, MN
Software Engineer & UNIX Systems Administrator (May 1993 - Oct. 1997), Engineering Animation Inc., Ames, IA
Education and Certifications
2009, PhD Forestry, University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dissertation title: Fire in the wildland-urban interface, a national comparison of patterns of fire occurrence and fire risk to homes.
2003, M.S. Forestry, University of Wisconsin – Madison. Thesis title: Road density and landscape pattern in Northern Wisconsin, USA; present and past perspectives on environmental constraints and...
1998, B.S. Animal Ecology, Iowa State University.
Science and Products
Data inputs and outputs for simulations of species distributions in response to future fire size and climate change in the boreal-temperate ecotone of northeastern China
A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Data release for tracking rates of post-fire conifer regeneration distinct from deciduous vegetation recovery across the western U.S.
Landscape inputs and simulation output for the LANDIS-II model in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Data release for: Spatially explicit reconstruction of post-megafire forest recovery through landscape modeling
Data Release for the validation of the USGS Landsat Burned Area Product across the conterminous U.S.
Pre-fire biomass, burn severity, biomass consumption, and fire perimeter data for the 1987 Black Dragon Fire in China
Data release for it matters when you measure it: using snow-cover Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to isolate post-fire conifer regeneration
Great Dismal Swamp field measurements for aboveground and belowground biomass
Data release for estimating soil respiration in a subalpine landscape using point, terrain, climate and greenness data
Data release for Time series of high-resolution images enhances efforts to monitor post-fire condition and recovery, Waldo Canyon fire, Colorado, USA
Landsat Burned Area Essential Climate Variable products for the conterminous United States (1984 -2015)
Large fires or small fires, will they differ in affecting shifts in species composition and distributions under climate change?
Growth of the wildland-urban interface within and around U.S. National Forests and Grasslands, 1990-2010
Mapping wetland burned area from Sentinel-2 across the southeastern United States and its contributions relative to Landsat 8 (2016-2019)
Detecting subtle change from dense landsat time series: Case studies of mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle disturbance
Using the landsat burned area products to derive fire history relevant for fire management and conservation in the state of Florida, southeastern USA
The changes in species composition mediate direct effects of climate change on future fire regimes of boreal forests in northeastern China
New operational national satellite burned area product
Building loss in WUI disasters: Evaluating the core components of the wildland-urban interface definition
Increased burning in a warming climate reduces carbon uptake in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem despite productivity gains
Tracking rates of postfire conifer regeneration vs. deciduous vegetation recovery across the western United States
Spatially explicit reconstruction of post-megafire forest recovery through landscape modeling
Assessment of fire fuel load dynamics in shrubland ecosystems in the western United States using MODIS products
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 25
Data inputs and outputs for simulations of species distributions in response to future fire size and climate change in the boreal-temperate ecotone of northeastern China
This data release provides inputs needed to run the LANDIS PRO forest landscape model and the LINKAGES 3.0 ecosystem process model for the temperate-boreal ecotone Great Xing'n Mountains of northeastern China, and simulation results that underlie figures and analysis in the accompanying publication. The study compared the impacts of small and large fires on vegetation dynamics. The data release inA snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Stakeholder science needs were determined by reviewing more than 200 recently published literature items and web pages from Colorado River Basin (CRB) stakeholders. These stakeholder communications were used to characterize over 400 stakeholder science needs by reviewing their priorities, strategies, issues, missions, and concerns related to drought in the CRB. Members of the CRB Integrated SciencByArizona Water Science Center, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Colorado River Basin: Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and TechnologyData release for tracking rates of post-fire conifer regeneration distinct from deciduous vegetation recovery across the western U.S.
Post-fire shifts in vegetation composition will have broad ecological impacts. However, information characterizing post-fire recovery patterns and their drivers are lacking over large spatial extents. In this analysis we used Landsat imagery collected when snow cover (SCS) was present, in combination with growing season (GS) imagery, to distinguish evergreen vegetation from deciduous vegetation. WLandscape inputs and simulation output for the LANDIS-II model in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
This data release provides inputs needed to run the LANDIS-II landscape change model, NECN and Base Fire extensions for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), USA, and simulation results that underlie figures and analysis in the accompanying publication. We ran LANDIS-II simulations for 112 years, from 1988-2100, using interpolated weather station data for 1988-2015 and downscaled output from 5Data release for: Spatially explicit reconstruction of post-megafire forest recovery through landscape modeling
This data release provides inputs needed to run the LANDIS PRO forest landscape model and the LINKAGES 3.0 ecosystem process model for the area burned by the Black Dragon Fire in northeast China in 1987, and simulation results that underlie figures and analysis in the accompanying publication. The data release includes the fire perimeter of Great Dragon Fire; input data for LINKAGES including soilData Release for the validation of the USGS Landsat Burned Area Product across the conterminous U.S.
Complete and accurate burned area map data are needed to document spatial and temporal patterns of fires, to quantify their drivers, and to assess the impacts on human and natural systems. In this study, we developed the Landsat Burned Area (BA) algorithm, an update from the Landsat Burned Area Essential Climate Variable (BAECV) algorithm. We present the BA algorithm and products, changes relativePre-fire biomass, burn severity, biomass consumption, and fire perimeter data for the 1987 Black Dragon Fire in China
Geospatial data were developed to characterize pre-fire biomass, burn severity, and biomass consumed for the Black Dragon Fire that burned in northern China in 1987. Pre-fire aboveground tree biomass (Mh/ha) raster data were derived by relating plot-level forest inventory data with pre-fire Landsat imagery from 1986 and 1987. Biomass data were generated for individual species: Dahurian larch (LariData release for it matters when you measure it: using snow-cover Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to isolate post-fire conifer regeneration
Landsat Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is commonly used to monitor post-fire green-up; however, most studies do not distinguish new growth of conifer from deciduous or herbaceous species, despite potential consequences for local climate, carbon and wildlife. We found that dual season (growing and snow cover) NDVI improved our ability to distinguish conifer tree presence and density.Great Dismal Swamp field measurements for aboveground and belowground biomass
Plot-level field data were collected in the summer of 2014 to estimate aboveground and belowground biomass in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and Dismal Swamp State Park in North Carolina and Virginia. Data were collected at 85 plots. The location of the center of each plot was recorded with a Trimble ProXH global positioning system (GPS) and differentially corrected. Data files inData release for estimating soil respiration in a subalpine landscape using point, terrain, climate and greenness data
Landscape carbon (C) flux estimates are necessary for assessing the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to buffer further increases in anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Advances in remote sensing have allowed for coarse-scale estimates of gross primary productivity (GPP) (e.g., MODIS 17), yet efforts to assess spatial patterns in respiration lag behind those of GPP. Here, we demonstrateData release for Time series of high-resolution images enhances efforts to monitor post-fire condition and recovery, Waldo Canyon fire, Colorado, USA
Interpretations of post-fire condition and rates of vegetation recovery can influence management priorities, actions, and perception of latent risks from landslides and floods. In this study, we used the Waldo Canyon fire (2012, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA) as a case study to explore how a time series (2011-2016) of high-resolution images can be used to delineate burn extent and severity, as wLandsat Burned Area Essential Climate Variable products for the conterminous United States (1984 -2015)
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed and implemented an automated algorithm that identifies burned areas in temporally-dense time series of Landsat image stacks to produce the Landsat Burned Area Essential Climate Variable (BAECV) products. The algorithm makes use of predictors derived from individual Landsat scenes, lagged reference conditions, and change metrics between the scene and - Publications
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Large fires or small fires, will they differ in affecting shifts in species composition and distributions under climate change?
Climate change is expected to increase fire activity, which has the potential to accelerate climate-induced shifts in species composition and distribution in the boreal-temperate ecotone. Wildfire can kill resident trees, and thus provide establishment opportunities for migrating tree species. However, the role of fire size and its interactions with tree species with varied life-history attributesAuthorsWenru Xu, Hong S. He, Chao Huang, Shengwu Duan, Todd Hawbaker, Paul D. Henne, Yu Liang, Zhiliang ZhuGrowth of the wildland-urban interface within and around U.S. National Forests and Grasslands, 1990-2010
The wildland-urban interface (WUI), where housing is in close proximity to or intermingled with wildland vegetation, is widespread throughout the United States, but it is unclear how this type of housing development affects public lands. We used a national dataset to examine WUI distribution and growth (1990–2010) in proximity to National Forests and created a typology to characterize each NationaAuthorsMiranda H. Mockrin, Dave Helmers, Sebastian Martinuzzi, Todd Hawbaker, Volker C. RadeloffMapping wetland burned area from Sentinel-2 across the southeastern United States and its contributions relative to Landsat 8 (2016-2019)
Prescribed fires and wildfires are common in wetland ecosystems across the Southeastern United States. However, the wetland burned area has been chronically underestimated across the region due to (1) spectral confusion between open water and burned area, (2) rapid post-fire vegetation regrowth, and (3) high annual precipitation limiting clear-sky satellite observations. We developed a machine leaAuthorsMelanie K. Vanderhoof, Todd Hawbaker, Casey Teske, Andrea Ku, Joe Noble, Joshua J. PicotteDetecting subtle change from dense landsat time series: Case studies of mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle disturbance
In contrast to abrupt changes caused by land cover conversion, subtle changes driven by a shift in the condition, structure, or other biological attributes of land often lead to minimal and slower alterations of the terrestrial surface. Accurate mapping and monitoring of subtle change are crucial for an early warning of long-term gradual change that may eventually result in land cover conversion.AuthorsSu Ye, John Rogan, Zhe Zhu, Todd Hawbaker, Sarah J. Hart, Robert A. Andrus, Arjan J.H. Meddens, Jeffery A. Hicke, J. Ronald Eastman, Dominik KulakowskiUsing the landsat burned area products to derive fire history relevant for fire management and conservation in the state of Florida, southeastern USA
Development of comprehensive spatially explicit fire occurrence data remains one of the most critical needs for fire managers globally, and especially for conservation across the southeastern United States. Not only are many endangered species and ecosystems in that region reliant on frequent fire, but fire risk analysis, prescribed fire planning, and fire behavior modeling are sensitive to fire hAuthorsCasey Teske, Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Todd Hawbaker, Joe Noble, J. Kevin HiresThe changes in species composition mediate direct effects of climate change on future fire regimes of boreal forests in northeastern China
Direct effects of climate change (i.e. temperature rise, changes in seasonal precipitation, wind patterns and atmospheric stability) affect fire regimes of boreal forests by altering fire behaviour, fire seasons and fuel moisture. Climate change also alters species composition and fuel characteristics, which subsequently alter fire regimes. However, indirect effects of climate change are often simAuthorsChao Huang, Hong S. He, Yu Liang, Todd Hawbaker, Paul D. Henne, Wenru Xu, Peng Gong, Zhiliang ZhuNew operational national satellite burned area product
Introduction Lack of consistent spatial and temporal fire information with relevant spatial resolution hinders land management and broad-scale assessments of fire activity, especially in the eastern United States and the Great Plains where fi re is important ecologically and culturally. Remote sensing can be used to monitor fi re activity, augment existing fi re data, and fill information gaps. InAuthorsTodd Hawbaker, Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Gail L. Schmidt, Yen-Ju G. Beal, Joshua J. Picotte, Joshua Takacs, Jeff T. Falgout, John L. DwyerBuilding loss in WUI disasters: Evaluating the core components of the wildland-urban interface definition
Accurate maps of the wildland–urban interface (WUI) are critical for the development of effective land management policies, conducting risk assessments, and the mitigation of wildfire risk. Most WUI maps identify areas at risk from wildfire by overlaying coarse-scale housing data with land cover or vegetation data. However, it is unclear how well the current WUI mapping methods capture the patternAuthorsMichael D. Caggiano, Todd Hawbaker, Benjamin Gannon, Chad HoffmanIncreased burning in a warming climate reduces carbon uptake in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem despite productivity gains
1. The effects of changing climate and disturbance on mountain forest carbon stocks vary with tree species distributions and over elevational gradients. Warming can increase carbon uptake by stimulating productivity at high elevations but also enhance carbon release by increasing respiration and the frequency, intensity, and size of wildfires.2. To understand the consequences of climate change forAuthorsPaul D. Henne, Todd Hawbaker, Robert M. Scheller, Feng S Zhao, Hong S He, Wenru Xu, Zhiliang ZhuTracking rates of postfire conifer regeneration vs. deciduous vegetation recovery across the western United States
Postfire shifts in vegetation composition will have broad ecological impacts. However, information characterizing postfire recovery patterns and their drivers are lacking over large spatial extents. In this analysis, we used Landsat imagery collected when snow cover (SCS) was present, in combination with growing season (GS) imagery, to distinguish evergreen vegetation from deciduous vegetation. WeAuthorsMelanie K. Vanderhoof, Todd Hawbaker, Andrea Ming Ku, Kyle Merriam, Erin Berryman, Megan CattauSpatially explicit reconstruction of post-megafire forest recovery through landscape modeling
Megafires are large wildfires that occur under extreme weather conditions and produce mixed burn severities across diverse environmental gradients. Assessing megafire effects requires data covering large spatiotemporal extents, which are difficult to collect from field inventories. Remote sensing provides an alternative but is limited in revealing post-fire recovery trajectories and the underlyingAuthorsWenru Xu, Hong He, Jacob S. Fraser, Todd Hawbaker, Paul D. Henne, Shengwu Duan, Zhiliang ZhuAssessment of fire fuel load dynamics in shrubland ecosystems in the western United States using MODIS products
Assessing fire behavior in shrubland/grassland ecosystems of the western United States has proven especially problematic, in part due to the complex nature of the vegetation and its relationships with prior fire history events. Our goals in this study were (1) to determine if we can effectively leverage the high temporal resolution capabilities of current remote sensing systems such as the ModeratAuthorsZhengpeng Li, Hua Shi, James Vogelmann, Todd Hawbaker, Birgit Peterson - Web Tools
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