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Forest and Wildlife Habitat Analysis Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems

Author : Maria R. Fiorella

Publisher :

Page : 286 pages

File Size : 46,41 MB

Release : 1992

Category : Artificial satellites in forestry

ISBN :

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Book Description

Forest and wildlife habitat analyses were conducted at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the Central Cascade Mountains of Oregon using remotely sensed data and a geographic information system (GIS). Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM) data were used to determine forest successional stages, and to analyze the structure of both old and young conifer forests. Two successional stage maps were developed. One was developed from six TM spectral bands alone, and the second was developed from six TM spectral bands and a relative sun incidence band. Including the sun incidence band in the classification improved the mapping accuracy in the two youngest successional stages, but did not improve overall accuracy or accuracy of the two oldest successional stages. Mean spectral values for old-growth and mature stands were compared in seven TM bands and seven band transformations. Differences between mature and old-growth successional stages were greatest for the band ratio of TM 4/5 (P = 0.00005) and the multiband transformation of wetness (P = 0.00003). The age of young conifer stands had the highest correlation to TM 4/5 values (r = 0.9559) of any of the TM band or band transformations used. TM 4/5 ratio values of poorly regenerated conifer stands were significantly different from well regenerated conifer stands after age 15 (P = 0.0000). TM 4/5 was named a "Successional Stage Index" (SSI) because of its ability to distinguish forest successional stages. The forest successional stage map was used as input into a vertebrate richness model using GIS. The three variables of 1) successional stage, 2) elevation, and 3) site moisture were used in the GIS to predict the spatial occurrence of small mammal, amphibian, and reptile species based on primary and secondary habitat requirements. These occurrence or habitat maps were overlayed to tally the predicted number of vertebrate at any given point in the study area. Overall, sixty-three and sixty-seven percent of the model predictions for vertebrate occurrence matched the vertebrates that were trapped in the field in eight forested stands. Of the three model variables, site moisture appeared to have the greatest influence on the pattern of high vertebrate richness in all vertebrate classes.





Improving GIS-based Wildlife-Habitat Analysis

Author : Jeffrey K. Keller

Publisher : Springer

Page : 141 pages

File Size : 21,74 MB

Release : 2014-10-01

Category : Nature

ISBN : 3319096087

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Book Description

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide a powerful tool for the investigation of species-habitat relationships and the development of wildlife management and conservation programs. However, the relative ease of data manipulation and analysis using GIS, associated landscape metrics packages, and sophisticated statistical tests may sometimes cause investigators to overlook important species-habitat functional relationships. Additionally, underlying assumptions of the study design or technology may have unrecognized consequences. This volume examines how initial researcher choices of image resolution, scale(s) of analysis, response and explanatory variables, and location and area of samples can influence analysis results, interpretation, predictive capability, and study-derived management prescriptions. Overall, most studies in this realm employ relatively low resolution imagery that allows neither identification nor accurate classification of habitat components. Additionally, the landscape metrics typically employed do not adequately quantify component spatial arrangement associated with species occupation. To address this latter issue, the authors introduce two novel landscape metrics that measure the functional size and location in the landscape of taxon-specific ‘solid’ and ‘edge’ habitat types. Keller and Smith conclude that investigators conducting GIS-based analyses of species-habitat relationships should more carefully 1) match the resolution of remotely sensed imagery to the scale of habitat functional relationships of the focal taxon, 2) identify attributes (explanatory variables) of habitat architecture, size, configuration, quality, and context that reflect the way the focal taxon uses the subset of the landscape it occupies, and 3) match the location and scale of habitat samples, whether GIS- or ground-based, to corresponding species’ detection locations and scales of habitat use.





Remote Sensing

Author : J D Greer

Publisher : CRC Press

Page : 470 pages

File Size : 30,92 MB

Release : 1996-09-30

Category : Technology & Engineering

ISBN : 9781570830402

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GIS Applications to Wilderness Management

Author : Peter B. Landres

Publisher :

Page : 16 pages

File Size : 19,43 MB

Release : 2001

Category : Geographic information systems

ISBN :

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Book Description

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are increasingly being used in all areas of natural resource management. This paper first presents a brief primer on GIS, and then discusses potential applications of GIS to wilderness management in the areas of inventorying, monitoring, analysis, planning, and communication. Outlined are the limitations and pitfalls that could compromise the effectiveness of a wilderness GIS, and several suggestions are included for improving the chances of successfully using GIS in wilderness management.





GIS and Remote Sensing Applications in Biogeography and Ecology

Author : Andrew C. Millington

Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media

Page : 333 pages

File Size : 36,27 MB

Release : 2013-03-11

Category : Science

ISBN : 1461515238

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Book Description

In recent years, the conservation of tropical forests has received worldwide publicity whereas effective forest management, particularly for timber extraction, has attracted little attention and gained some notoriety. The overall aim of the present paper was to examine how environmental micro-variation in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve of Belize can influence species distribution and thereby inform management strategy. The paper deals first with the background to forest management in Belize, then considers the methodology used in the present study and fin~~ly assesses the preliminary results. The specific objectives are: (1) to assess the effects of changing scale on the variability of selected individual soil properties in forest plots within the same vegetation class; and (2) to examine the variation in soil properties and tree species distribution, and to integrate environmental and ecological data over a range of scales. BACKGROUND Whereas the global and regional distribution of tropical forests is broadly governed by climatic and altitudinal variation, individual forest tracts need to consider a range of other, locally important factors to explain species distribution and change. With very high species diversity, tropical forests present a major challenge in the attempt to unravel controlling factors in distribution and growth (Swaine et aI. 1987). Research that attempts to explain diversity has looked at species distribution according to a range of factors, with a general recognition that soil fertility plays a significant if ill defined role (Swaine 1996).



Remote Sensing of Forest Environments

Author : Michael A. Wulder

Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media

Page : 535 pages

File Size : 32,20 MB

Release : 2012-12-06

Category : Computers

ISBN : 146150306X

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Book Description

Remote Sensing of Forest Environments: Concepts and Case Studies is an edited volume intended to provide readers with a state-of-the-art synopsis of the current methods and applied applications employed in remote sensing the world's forests. The contributing authors have sought to illustrate and deepen our understanding of remote sensing of forests, providing new insights and indicating opportunities that are created when forests and forest practices are considered in concert with the evolving paradigm of remote sensing science. Following background and methods sections, this book introduces a series of case studies that exemplify the ways in which remotely sensed data are operationally used, as an element of the decision-making process, and in the scientific study of forests. Remote Sensing of Forest Environments: Concepts and Case Studies is designed to meet the needs of a professional audience composed of both practitioners and researchers. This book is also suitable as a secondary text for graduate-level students in Forestry, Environmental Science, Geography, Engineering, and Computer Science.



GIS Methodologies for Developing Conservation Strategies

Author : Basil G. Savitsky

Publisher : Columbia University Press

Page : 290 pages

File Size : 34,77 MB

Release : 1998-04-28

Category : Nature

ISBN : 9780231505017

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Book Description

Tropical habitats may contain more than a third of the world's plant and animal species; Costa Rica alone is home to one of the highest levels of biodiversity per unit area in the world, and stands at center stage in worldwide conservation efforts. Within such regions, the use of state-of-the-art digital mapping technologies—sophisticated techniques that are relatively inexpensive and accessible—represents the future of conservation planning and policy. These methods, which employ satellites to obtain visual data on landscapes, allow environmental scientists to monitor encroachment on indigenous territories, trace park boundaries through unmarked wilderness, and identify wildlife habitats in regions where humans have limited access. Focusing on the rich biodiversity of Costa Rica, the contributors demonstrate the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to enhance conservation efforts. They give an overview of the spatial nature of conservation and management and the current status of digital mapping in Costa Rica; a review of the basic principles behind digital mapping technologies; a series of case studies using these technologies at a variety of scales and for a range of conservation and management activities; and the results of the Costa Rican gap analysis project. GIS Methodologies for Developing Conservation Strategies provides powerful tools for those involved in decision-making about the natural environment, particularly in developing nations like Costa Rica where such technologies have not yet been widely adopted. For specialists in such areas as geography, conservation biology, and wildlife and natural resource management, the combination of conceptual background and case examples make the book a crucial addition to the literature.