1,721,138 research outputs found
High resolution satellite imagery for tropical biodiversity studies: The devil is in the detail
No full textPreliminary report on landscape pattern analysis – State of the art. BIO SOS Biodiversity Multisource Monitoring System: from Space TO Species (BIO SOS) Deliverable D6.2, pp41 http://www.biosos.wur.nl/UK/Deliverables/
No full textThe state of the art on the methodologies for assessing fragmentation
and connectivity have been delineated and the scope of the BIO_SOS
research on these issues brought into contex
A new platform to support research at the interface of remote sensing, ecology and conservation
Full text linkAssessing and predicting responses of biological diversity
to global environmental change and the effects of such
responses on human well-being are high-priority targets
for the scientific, management and policy communities
(Pereira et al. 2013; Dirzo et al. 2014). These assessments
and predictions are essential inputs to inform interna-
tional initiatives such as the Convention on Biological
Diversity and the Intergovernmental Science Policy Plat-
form on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Collen
et al. 2013), being fundamental to defining and optimiz-
ing adaptation and mitigation strategies. To rise to the
challenges posed by global environmental change, in par-
ticular, the research, management and policy communi-
ties need access to standardised information on changes
in the distribution of biodiversity and in the intensity of
human activities; these communities also need to know
whether management actions are effective (Sutherland
et al. 2004; Brooks et al. 2014; Pettorelli et al. 2014a)
Benefits of hyperspectral remote sensing for tracking plant invasions
Full text linkBiological invasions are viewed as a significant component of global change and have become a serious threat to natural ecosystems. Concerns for the implications and consequences of successful invasions have stimulated a considerable amount of research aimed at understanding the mechanisms of invasion and providing guidelines for control and management efforts. In this paper, we aim to report what remote sensing can offer for invasion ecologists and review recent progress made in plant invasion research using hyperspectral remote sensing. We review the utility of hyperspectral remote sensing for detecting, mapping, and predicting the spatial spread of invasive species. A range of topics are discussed, including the tradeoff between spatial and spectral resolutions and classification accuracy, the benefits of using time series to incorporate phenology in mapping species distribution, the potential of biochemical and physiological properties in hyperspectral spectral reflectance for tracking ecosystem changes caused by invasions, and the capacity of hyperspectral data as a valuable input for quantitative models developed for assessing the future spread of invasive species. We found that hyperspectral remote sensing holds great promise for invasion research. Spectral information provided by hyperspectral sensors can detect invaders at the species level across a range of community and ecosystem types. Furthermore, hyperspectral data can be used to assess habitat suitability and model the future spread of invasive species, thus providing timely information for invasion risk analysis. Our review suggests that hyperspectral remote sensing can effectively provide a baseline of invasive species distributions for future monitoring and control efforts. The information collected by sensors on the spatial distribution of invasive species can help land managers to make long-term constructive conservation plans for protecting and maintaining natural ecosystem
Benefits of hyperspectral remote sensing for tracking plant invasions
No full textAim We aim to report what hyperspectral remote sensing can offer for invasion ecologists and review recent progress made in plant invasion research using hyperspectral remote sensing. Location United States. Methods We review the utility of hyperspectral remote sensing for detecting, mapping and predicting the spatial spread of invasive species. We cover a range of topics including the trade-off between spatial and spectral resolutions and classification accuracy, the benefits of using time series to incorporate phenology in mapping species distribution, the potential of biochemical and physiological properties in hyperspectral spectral reflectance for tracking ecosystem changes caused by invasions, and the capacity of hyperspectral data as a valuable input for quantitative models developed for assessing the future spread of invasive species. Results Hyperspectral remote sensing holds great promise for invasion research. Spectral information provided by hyperspectral sensors can detect invaders at the species level across a range of community and ecosystem types. Furthermore, hyperspectral data can be used to assess habitat suitability and model the future spread of invasive species, thus providing timely information for invasion risk analysis. Main conclusions Our review suggests that hyperspectral remote sensing can effectively provide a baseline of invasive species distributions for future monitoring and control efforts. Furthermore, information on the spatial distribution of invasive species can help land managers to make long-term constructive conservation plans for protecting and maintaining natural ecosystems
Assessing plant diversity in a dry tropical forest: comparing the utility of Landsat and Ikonos satellite images
No full textWhile high expectations have been raised about the utility of high resolution satellite imagery for biodiversity assessment, there has been almost no empirical assessment of its use, particularly in the biodiverse tropics which represent a very challenging environment for such assessment challenge. This research evaluates the use of high spatial resolution (IKONOS) and medium spatial resolution (Landsat ETM+) satellite imagery for assessing vegetation diversity in a dry tropical forest in central India. Contrary to expectations, across multiple measures of plant distribution and diversity, the resolution of IKONOS data is too fine for the purpose of plant diversity assessment and Landsat imagery performs better
Exploring the relationship between remotely-sensed spectral variables and attributes of tropical forest vegetation under the influence of local forest institutions
No full textConservation of forests outside protected areas is essential for maintaining forest
connectivity, which largely depends on the effectiveness of local institutions. In this study, we
use Landsat data to explore the relationship between vegetation structure and forest management
institutions, in order to assess the efficacy of local institutions in management of forests outside
protected areas. These forests form part of an important tiger corridor in Eastern Maharashtra, India.
We assessed forest condition using 450 randomly placed 10 m radius circular plots in forest patches
of villages with and without local institutions, to understand the impact of these institutions on
forest vegetation. Tree density and species richness were significantly different between villages with
and without local forest institutions, but there was no difference in tree biomass. We also found a
significant difference in the relationship between tree density and NDVI between villages with and
without local forest institutions. However, the relationship between species richness and NDVI did
not differ significantly. The methods proposed by this study evaluate the status of forest management
in a forest corridor using remotely sensed data and could be effectively used to identify the extent of
vegetation health and management statu
Using spatial simulations of habitat modification for adaptive management of protected areas: Mediterranean grassland modification by woody plant encroachment.
No full textSpatial simulation may be used to model the potential effects of current biodiversity approaches on future habitat modification under differing climate change scenarios. To illustrate the approach, spatial simulation models, including landscape-level forest dynamics, were developed for a semi-natural grassland of conservation concern in a southern Italian protected area, which was exposed to woody vegetation encroachment. A forest landscape dynamics simulator (LANDIS-II) under conditions of climate change, current fire and alternative management regimes was used to develop scenario maps. Landscape pattern metrics provided data on fragmentation and habitat quality degradation, and quantified the spatial spread of different tree species within grassland habitats. The models indicated that approximately one-third of the grassland area would be impacted by loss, fragmentation and degradation in the next 150 years. Differing forest management regimes appear to influence the type of encroaching species and the density of encroaching vegetation. Habitat modifications are likely to affect species distribution and interactions, as well as local ecosystem functioning, leading to changes in estimated conservation value. A site-scale conservation strategy based on feasible integrated fire and forest management options is proposed, considering the debate on the effectiveness of protected areas for the conservation of ecosystem services in a changing climate. This needs to be tested through further modelling and scenario analysis, which would benefit from the enhancement of current modelling capabilities of LANDIS-II and from combination with remote sensing technologies, to provide early signals of environmental shifts both within and outside protected areas
Spectral Distance Decay: Assessing Species Beta-diversity by Quantile Regression
No full textRemotely sensed data represents key information for characterizing and estimating biodiversity. Spectral distance among sites has proven to be a powerful approach for detecting species composition variability. Regression analysis of species similarity versus spectral distance may allow us to quantitatively estimate how beta-diversity in species changes with respect to spectral and ecological variability. In classical regression analysis, the residual sum of squares is minimized for the mean of the dependent variable distribution. However, many ecological datasets are characterized by a high number of zeroes that can add noise to the regression model. Quantile regression can be used to evaluate trend in the upper quantiles rather than a mean trend across the whole distribution of the dependent variable. In this paper, we used ordinary least square (OLS) and quantile regression to estimate the decay of species similarity versus spectral distance. The achieved decay rates were statistically nonzero (p < 0.05) considering both OLS and quantile regression. Nonetheless, OLS regression estimate of mean decay rate was only half the decay rate indicated by the upper quantiles. Moreover, the intercept value, representing the similarity reached when spectral distance approaches zero, was very low compared with the intercepts of upper quantiles, which detected high species similarity when habitats are more similar. In this paper we demonstrated the power of using quantile regressions applied to spectral distance decay in order to reveal species diversity patterns otherwise lost or underestimated by ordinary least square regression. RI Nagendra, Harini/A-9103-2009; Rocchini, Duccio/B-6742-201
Beyond parks as monoliths: Spatially differentiating park-people relationships in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in India
No full textParks represent spatially and socially heterogeneous conservation units, yet are often assessed and managed
using spatially homogeneous approaches. This paper represents an effort to focus on the larger
social–ecological landscapes within which protected areas are embedded, to understand why conservation
succeeds and fails in different parts of the landscape. In a wildlife sanctuary in the central plains of
India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve), we address: (i) how people living within and immediately outside a
park differentially impact its resources and (ii) how the park differentially impacts communities living
within. Using forest plots, satellite imagery and interviews, we evaluate park conservation by assessing
plant diversity, land cover change, forest fragmentation, and attitudes of local communities towards conservation.
We find that interior villages have a negative impact on regeneration, but there is a decline in
tree species diversity, and increased forest cover change and fragmentation at the park periphery. Interior
villages suffer greatly from crop and livestock depredations by wildlife and consider park rules to be
unfairly devised. Yet, they affirm the importance of the park for conservation, and are willing to work
with park authorities for stricter protection. Park authorities largely focus on resettlement of interior villages,
when they should also pay attention to protecting the peripheral areas of the park from severe degradation
by surrounding villages. In summary, we find that different parts of the park landscape face
different conservation challenges. Taking into account spatial variations in the factors influencing conservation
can greatly benefit the management of protected areas
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