Comparing Three Great Lakes Research Projects

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Comparing Three Great Lakes Research Projects

• By Mary Bresee

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FIA Satellite Imagery

• Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA)
• an annual survey which includes soil,
  understory vegetation, tree crown conditions,
  composition and coarse woody debris
  (http//biology.usgs.gov/luhna/chap6.html).
• Satellite imagery
• mechanisms affecting ecological processes and
  ultimately human impacts (He et al. 1998).
• facilitates the assessment of conditions,
  changes, and trends (Bresee et al. in press)

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Research Projects

• Historical Landcover Changes150 years in GLR
• Reconstructed from U.S General land survey and
  USFS fourth FIA
• Regional Forest AssessmentDistribution of age
  and species
• Combination of Satellite Imagery
  (Multitemporal Landsat Thermatic Mapper) and
  FIA
• Chequamegon Landscape Dynamics
• Landsat Imagery (MSS, TM, and ETM)

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Results 150 Years Landcover Change
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Results 150 Years Landcover Change
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Results Regional Forest Assessment
Tree spp of interest
Other forest
Non-Forest
a) Spatial distribution of associated tree
species by ecoregion following integration of
satellite classification and FIA database a)
basswood, b) red maple, and c) yellow birch
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Results Regional Forest Assessment
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ChequamegonLandscape change
1972
1978
1982
1987
1992
2001
Legend
Water
JP
NFBG
MHC
MH
RP
RFS
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Results Chequamegon Landscape Dynamics
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Results Chequamegon Landscape Dynamics
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Discussion

• Scale important to define in objectives
  otherwise results can be obsolete
• Ex. Study 1 indicated that areas in the
  Washburn Peninsula have not changed
  extensively within the last 150 years,
  while study indicated large changes.
• Data Collection Methods important to understand
  the limitations of satellite imagery
• Fragmentation can be detected at the landscape
  level Ex. 1 vs Ex. 3

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Conclusions

• Satellite imagery can quantify landscape change -
  based on management direction and with adequate
  field measurements. BUT ITS DEPENDANT ON SCALE
• Linking process to Management/Disturbance the
  ability to link processes and management is key
  in understanding pattern processes interactions
• Linking process to pattern

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Questions ?