Life Sciences Commons^™

Integrating Satellite Images And Species-Based Vegetation Maps To Manage Native Grasslands, M Hall-Beyer, Q.H. J. Gwyn

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Satellite image mapping of grasslands is problematic when species diversity occurs at a sub-pixel scale. We propose a method, called melody classification, to map ground cover units that group several spectral classes (colours). Melodies are defined as the normalized expected frequencies of each class within the ground cover unit. Starting from an unsupervised classification, an image is created showing the probability of finding each spectral class in the vicinity of each pixel. Each pixel is classified by comparing the melody in its neighbourhood with that of each ground cover unit. Accuracies are greatly enhanced over those of supervised classification. Melody …

From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Invasive plants cause significant impacts to ecosystems, the economy, and human health. California has experienced significant plant invasions and is well suited to future invasion because of its Mediterranean climate and human disturbance. Eradication or control of invasive plant species requires a detailed understanding of their spatial distribution, which typically involves on the ground surveys that can be expensive or inconsistent. Remote sensing offers a potential alternative or supplement to in-person invasive plant mapping. This study performed a comparative analysis of 41 remote sensing studies that mapped the distribution of California invasive plants. I found that while high spectral resolution …

Predicting Forage Provision Of Grasslands Across Climate Zones By Hyperspectral Measurements, F. A. Männer, J. Muro, J. Ferner, S. Schmidtlein, A. Linstädter

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The potential of grasslands’ fodder production is a crucial management measure, while its quantification is still laborious and costly. Remote sensing technologies, such as hyperspectral field measurements, enable fast and non-destructive estimation. However, such methods are still limited in transferability to other locations or climatic conditions. With this study, we aim to predict forage nutritive value, quantity, and energy yield from hyperspectral canopy reflections of grasslands across three climate zones. We took hyperspectral measurements with a field spectrometer from grassland canopies in temperate, tropical and semi-arid grasslands, and analyzed corresponding biomass samples for their quantity (BM), metabolizable energy content (ME) …

Drone And Digital Camera Imagery Estimate C3 And C4 Grass Ratios In Pastures, J. A. Bush, C. D. Teutsch, S. R. Smith, J. C. Henning

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The following study investigates the accuracy and practicality of exploiting the color dichotomy present between C3 and C4 grass species to estimate their respective proportions from drone or camera captured imagery. Understanding the proportions of C3 and C4 grasses in pastures is vital to sound decision making for livestock production. The ability to monitor these proportions remotely will also allow for large scale monitoring as well as detection of changes in botanical composition over time and in response to weather events, management, or climate change. A free green canopy cover (GCC) analyzing software, Canopeo, was used to quantify green plants …

Prospects For Improving Alfalfa Yield Using Genomic- And Phenomic-Based Breeding, M. W. Francis, D. Pap, A. Krill-Brown, E. C. Brummer

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a perennial outcrossing legume that is cultivated as an important forage crop in many parts of the world. Yield is the most important trait for profitable alfalfa production, yet over the last 30 years yield improvement in California has stagnated. Current breeding methods focus on recurrent phenotypic selection; however, alternatives incorporating genomic- and phenomic-based information may enhance genetic gain and help to address the lack of yield improvement. Here we attempt to increase the yield potential of alfalfa using genomic selection (GS) in combination with high throughput phenotyping (HTP). A total of 193 families …

Using Landsat Imagery To Analyse Land Cover Change In The Njoro Watershed, Kenya, T. J. Baldyga, S. N. Miller, K. L. Driese, C. Maina-Gichaba

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In developing nations where resources are scarce and increased population pressures create stress on available resources, methods are needed to examine effects of human migration and resultant changes in land cover. Widespread availability and low cost of remotely sensed imagery and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are making such methods a reality to develop quantitative resource mapping and land cover change detection in developing nations (Sheng et al., 1997). However, difficulties arise in tropical regions when trying to analyse traditional vegetation bands (Bands 3 and 4), or indices such as NDVI because saturated pixels limit spectral distinction.

Characterization Of Boreal-Arctic Vegetation Growth Phases And Active Soil Layer Dynamics In The High-Latitudes Of North America: A Study Combining Multi-Year In Situ And Satellite-Based Observations, Michael G. Brown

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examined the seasonal freeze/thaw activity in boreal-Arctic soils and vegetation physiology in Alaska, USA and Alberta, Canada, using in situ environmental measurements and passive microwave satellite observations. The boreal-Arctic high-latitudes have been experiencing ecosystem changes more rapidly in comparison to the rest of Earth due to the presently warming climatic conditions having a magnified effect over Polar Regions. Currently, the boreal-Arctic is a carbon sink; however, recent studies indicate a shift over the next century to become a carbon source. High-latitude vegetation and cold soil dynamics are influenced by climatic shifts and are largely responsible for the regions …

Identifying Sources Of Landscape Variation To Improve Predictions Of Post-Fire Sagebrush Steppe Recovery, Cara Applestein

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Sagebrush steppe ecosystems are endangered landscapes, threated by the annual grass-fire cycle where invasion by annual grasses drives larger fires and larger fires drive invasion. Despite extensive input of resources by land management agencies, restoration of these ecosystems is notoriously variable and difficult to predict. Understanding and accounting for variation is key to effectively allocating limited resources and having success in restoring burned sagebrush landscapes. I utilized Bayesian modeling to assess how variation in weather, seed dispersal, and topography/slope/landscape position affects understanding of post-fire sagebrush-steppe recovery and how we can best incorporate sources of variation into models predicting where plant …

Evapotranspiration And Energy Balance Of Irrigated Urban Turfgrass, Matthew D. Miksch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water usage for irrigation is a big consumer of water resources in urban areas in Utah and other parts of the Intermountain Region of the Western United States. As populations continue to increase in these states, it is important to understand how much water is being used by urban landscapes in order to plan and manage future water resources. Evapotranspiration (ET), or the amount of water leaving a surface over a certain timeframe due to both transpiration from plants and evaporation from the soil, is a key variable in understanding how much water urban landscapes are really using to grow …

Remote Sensing In Mapping Biodiversity – A Case Study Of Epiphytic Lichen Communities, Ida Palmroos, Veera Norros, Sarita Keski-Saari, Janne Mäyrä, Topi Tanhuanpää, Sonja Kivinen, Juha Pykälä, Peter Kullberg, Timo Kumpula, Petteri Vihervaara

Aspen Bibliography

In boreal forests, European aspen (Populus tremula L.) is a keystone species that hosts a variety of accompanying species including epiphytic lichens. Forest management actions have led to a decrease in aspen abundance and subsequent loss of suitable habitats of epiphytic lichens. In this study, we evaluate the environmental responses of epiphytic lichen species richness and community composition on aspen, focusing on the potential of remote sensing by combined hyperspectral imaging and airborne laser scanning to identify suitable habitats for epiphytic lichens. We measured different substrate and habitat parameters in the field (e.g., aspen diameter and bark pH) …

Characterization Of Physical And Biochemical Traits In Wheat And Corn Plants Using High Throughput Image Analysis, Kantilata Thapa

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations and Theses

Plant phenotyping has been recognized as a rapidly growing field of research due to the labor-intensive, destructive, and time-consuming nature of traditional phenotyping methods. These phenotyping bottlenecks can be addressed by advancements in image-based phenotyping like RGB and hyperspectral imaging for the assessment of plant traits important for breeding purposes. This study aims (1) to characterize the physical and biochemical traits of wheat and corn plants using RGB and hyperspectral imaging in the greenhouse, and (2) to estimate leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content using hyperspectral imaging and an analytical spectral device (ASD spectrometer) and compare the …

A Decision Support System For Rangeland Management In Degrading Environments, R. G. Bennett, F. J. Mitchell

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The continued viability and productivity of commercial and emerging agriculture in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, depends on the accurate assessment and sustainable utilization of available natural resources. Sustainability implies that growth and development must take place, and be maintained over time, within the limits set by natural ecosystems. Utilizing an extensive GIS database, field surveys and remote sensing technology, a land assessment decision support system (LADSS) has been developed in an attempt to define these limits for the Province. This system has been developed to assess the appropriate use of existing resources as well as the suitability of current land …

Detecting Fauna Habitat In Semi-Arid Grasslands Using Satellite Imagery, N. A. Bruce, Ian D. Lunt, M. Abuzar, M. Mitchell

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Managing grasslands for biodiversity conservation is a relatively recent phenomenon and there is uncertainty over the most effective strategy. Past research has found that intermediate levels of disturbance (e.g. burning or grazing) may be required to maintain the natural mosaic of small-scale patterning required for a diverse range of flora and fauna species. For sustainable grassland management, appropriate methods of spatial assessment and temporal monitoring are required, to facilitate understanding of how past and present climate, land management and landscape features influence vegetation structure. Due to the expense and time-consuming nature of conventional ground-based monitoring, satellite remote-sensing techniques offer a …

Characterizing The Vegetation And Effects Of Climate Change On Parris Island, A Sea Island Ecosystem, Cody Hart Goodson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Coastal habitats provide many ecosystem services, protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion, diminishing the effects of eutrophication, sequestering large amounts of carbon, and acting as vital wildlife habitat. Sea-level rise and increased storm surge intensity associated with climate change are increasingly disrupting coastal habitats. These disturbances can shift environmental gradients that drive the zonation of coastal vegetation types, driving habitat conversion. Monitoring coastal habitat conversion can improve our understanding of the dynamic effects of climate change on these landscapes. Therefore, our objectives for chapter 1 were to identify and describe the distributions of vegetation types present on Marine Corps …

The Vulnerability And Resilience Of Seagrass Ecosystems To Marine Heatwaves In New Zealand: A Remote Sensing Analysis Of Seascape Metrics Using Planetscope Imagery, Ken Joseph E. Clemente, Mads S. Thomsen, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Seagrasses are foundation species that provide ecosystem functions and services, including increased biodiversity, sediment retention, carbon sequestration, and fish nursery habitat. However, anthropogenic stressors that reduce water quality, impose large-scale climate changes, and amplify weather patterns, such as marine heatwaves, are altering seagrass meadow configurations. Quantifying large-scale trends in seagrass distributions will help evaluate the impacts of climate drivers on their functions and services. Here, we quantified spatiotemporal dynamics in abundances and configurations of intertidal and shallow subtidal seagrass (Zostera muelleri) meadows in 20 New Zealand (NZ) estuaries that span a 5-year period (mid/late 2016–early 2022) just before, …

Animal Husbandry In The 21st Century: Application Of Ecological Theory And Precision Technology To Inform Understanding Of Modern Grazing Systems, Ira Lloyd Parsons

Theses and Dissertations

Ruminant animals comprise the greatest proportion of herbivores around the world, provide essential ecosystem services and human consumable protein by consuming grass and human inedible dietary fiber. Herbivory pressure alters plant communities and species diversity, effectively making grazing animals ecosystem engineers in dynamic ecosystems. Development of advanced computer processing power coupled with biometric and ecosystem sensors may be employed in the internet of things framework to create an integrated information system designed to inform understanding of grazing system function and animal energy balance. Towards this end, I utilized Bos indicus / Bos taurus crossbred steers (n = 20) across two …

Computer-Based Forage Management Tools: Historical, Current, And Future Applications, David B. Hannaway, C. Daly, D. F. Chapman, B. B. Baker, A. S. Cooper

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Forage management has been an important human activity since the beginning of civilization. By comparison, the personal computer has been available only in the immediate past. The software developed to deal with the complexity of climate, soil, plant, animal, and socioeconomic factors has seen huge changes in a few decades. Mainframe computers facilitated numerical calculations for exploring relationships among dozens of variables. Personal computers opened the door for more individual scientist creativity and routine communication. Web-based communication globalised the option for multidisciplinary teams to tackle problems. Forage-related computer applications abound, allowing farmers, ranchers, and others to more effectively manage the …

Next-Generation Technologies Unlock New Possibilities To Track Rangeland Productivity And Quantify Multi-Scale Conservation Outcomes, Caleb P. Roberts, David E. Naugle, Brady W. Allred, Victoria M. Donovan, Dillon T. Fogarty, Matthew O. Jones, Jeremy D. Maestas, Andrew C. Olsen, Dirac L. Twidwell Jr

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Historically, relying on plot-level inventories impeded our ability to quantify large-scale change in plant biomass, a key indicator of conservation practice outcomes in rangeland systems. Recent technological advances enable assessment at scales appropriate to inform management by providing spatially comprehensive estimates of productivity that are partitioned by plant functional group across all contiguous US rangelands. We partnered with the Sage Grouse and Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiatives and the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project to demonstrate the ability of these new datasets to quantify multi-scale changes and heterogeneity in plant biomass following mechanical tree removal, prescribed fire, and prescribed grazing. In Oregon’s sagebrush …

Integration Of Remote Sensing Approaches For In-Season Nitrogen Management, Murilo De Santana Martins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) management is being conducted at flat rate in Louisiana due to practicality and convenience, but the price of N fertilizer and high breakeven costs are forcing producers to find ways to reduce costs and optimize N application. In this scenario, precision agriculture technologies, specifically the use of optical sensors on board of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to variable rate N application on farm is showing a promising approach to save inputs and reduce environmental impacts. However, the general goal of this research was to develop and evaluate in-season N management approaches for N recommendation in corn (Zea …

Cover Cropping: Sensor-Based Estimations Of Biomass Yield And Nutrient Uptake And Its Impact On Sugarcane Productivity, Hector H. Fajardo Duran

LSU Master's Theses

Sugarcane in Louisiana can be harvested for up to three years from one planting. Soil cultivation along sides of established beds is done for weed control and improve fertilizer use efficiency which increases the risk of soil degradation and yield decline. Planting cover crops (CC) is a soil conservation practice and an effective strategy to improve soil health and nutrient recycling. Limited work has been done on remote sensor-based evaluation of the potential nutrient benefits from cover crops and its effect on nutrient cycling on sugarcane systems. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two planting methods (broadcast …

Regional Plant Community Differences In The Nebraska Sandhills, Travis Millikan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Nebraska Sandhills is very valuable to the state of Nebraska, representing one of the most in-tact and largest grassland ecosystems in temperate regions in the world. Rangeland managers must understand plant community dynamics across the Sandhills to better inform management decisions. The first objective of this study was to evaluate plant community variability on upland Sands ecological sites across different precipitation zones in the Nebraska Sandhills. The second objective of our study was to utilize the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) to examine spatial and temporal variability in biomass production and cover on pastures of ranches analyzed in the first …

Green Canopy Cover Percentage As A Method For Quantifying Andropogon Virginicus (Broomsedge) Reduction Through Fertilizer Applications In A Cool Season Hay Production System, Jordyn A. Bush, Jimmy C. Henning, Christopher D. Teutsch

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Remote sensing has been used to measure green canopy cover for a variety of agronomic purposes. This study explores the use of digital imagery as a method to quantify warm and cool season grasses in a hay production system. Due to alternate growth periods, cool and warm season grasses show greener color in different seasons. These seasonal color shifts provide an opportunity to measure their respective percentages when growing together in a system. This study was conducted in a hay field that was originally dominated by cool season grasses including tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and Kentucky bluegrass ( …

Ecological Science Infrastructure For Sustainability Transformations In Rangelands, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, J. E. Herrick, J. R. Brown, D. M. Browning, B. Densambuu, E. Elias, S. E. Mccord, H. R. Peinetti, S. Spiegal, N. P. Webb, J. C. Williamson

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Sustainability transformations—deliberate and radical shifts in values, governance, and management regimes to achieve sustainability—are needed in rangelands as in other components of the Earth system. We review four concepts comprising an ecological science infrastructure to support such transformations. The foundation is standard measurement of rangeland conditions in the field, especially vegetation and soil properties that underpin the environmental aspects of sustainability. Big data resources, especially gridded spatial datasets produced by models and remote sensing, can be combined with field data and computational approaches to upscale information about rangeland conditions and produce additional indicators of ecosystem functions and services. State and …

Identifying Conifer Tree Vs. Deciduous Shrub And Tree Regeneration Trajectories In A Space-For-Time Boreal Peatland Fire Chronosequence Using Multispectral Lidar, Humaira Enayetullah, Laura Chasmer, Christopher Hopkinson, Dan Thompson, Danielle Cobbaert

Aspen Bibliography

Wildland fires and anthropogenic disturbances can cause changes in vegetation species composition and structure in boreal peatlands. These could potentially alter regeneration trajectories following severe fire or through cumulative impacts of climate-mediated drying, fire, and/or anthropogenic disturbance. We used lidar-derived point cloud metrics, and site-specific locational attributes to assess trajectories of post-disturbance vegetation regeneration in boreal peatlands south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada using a space-for-time-chronosequence. The objectives were to (a) develop methods to identify conifer trees vs. deciduous shrubs and trees using multi-spectral lidar data, (b) quantify the proportional coverage of shrubs and trees to determine environmental conditions driving …

Cloud Computing Solution For Monitoring Arid Rangeland Dynamics: Case Of Moroccan Highlands And Southern Acacia Ecosystems, Said Lahssini, Said Moukrim, H. Mharzi-Alaoui, N. Rifai, L. El Mansouri, F. El Wahidi

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The wide availability of free satellite imagery, the recent development of cloud platforms dedicated to big spatial data (Big Data) that integrates both image archives from different providers, processing algorithms, distributed processing capabilities as well as an application programming interface (API) that facilitate scripting and automation process opened new perspectives for the use of vegetation observation time series over long timestamps and over large spatial scales (almost planetary).

This work aims at harnessing these technologies and building up an automated solution to monitor rangeland rehabilitation dynamics in arid lands and to assess the effectiveness of stakeholder’s management strategies. Such solution …

Remote Sensing Application To Grassland Monitoring, Z. B. Nan

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Application of remote sensing to the management of grassland resources, the role this plays in developing sustainable grassland farming systems and opportunities for further development are outlined. Use of remote sensing technologies in grassland monitoring has a history of more than 30 years. Both fine- and coarse-grained remote sensing techniques are used to monitor and study grasslands. Fine-grained techniques are used to study landscape scale processes through the use of sensors providing spatial resolution of a few meters, whereas coarse-grained techniques are used to study catchment scale areas, and even entire biomes, using satellite-based sensors with a spatial resolution of …

Remote Sensing For Quantifying C3 And C4 Grass Ratios In Pastures, Jordyn Alyssa Bush

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The following studies investigate the accuracy and practicality of exploiting the color dichotomy present between C₃ and C₄ grass species to estimate their respective proportions from drone or camera captured imagery. Understanding the proportions of C₃ and C₄ grasses in pastures is vital to sound decision making for livestock production. The ability to monitor these proportions remotely will also allow for large scale monitoring as well as detection of changes in botanical composition over time and in response to weather events, management, or climate change. A free green canopy cover (GCC) analyzing software, Canopeo, was used …

Maris: Scalable Online Scenario Development Tool For Rangeland Conservancy Managers Using High Spatial-Temporal Resolution Carrying Capacity Maps And Livestock Market Data, L. G. J. Boerboom, R. O. Ohuru, A. G. Toxopeus, W. Nieuwenhuis, C. A. J. M. De Bie, P. K. Mwangi, M. L. Schouwenburg, R. L. G. Lemmens

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Although the management of livestock numbers within the bounds of carrying capacity of African rangelands is a way to manage risks, both scientists and practitioners, caution against a momentary and local use of carrying capacity as a management indicator. Carrying capacity should be seen in wider spatial and temporal/seasonal context as well as in a social and economic context. Given the large numbers of conservancies across Kenya, and its Maasai Mara region in particular, with many more landowner members, it is difficult for conservancies’ managers to contextualize phenomena such as carrying capacity and market price over space and time.

We …

Use Of Remote Sensing To Guide The Assessment Of Temperate Grassland Degradation In The Territory, M. Martinez

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The methodology Participatory Rangeland and Grassland Assessment (PRAGA), in its baseline phase, more specifically in stage 4, suggests remote sensing to assess at landscape scale. In order to determine the sites to be evaluated, grassland pixels of the Modis sensor were taken into account. Within it, three types of soils were differentiated: superficial, medium and deep, according to the previous existing cartography (2).

Within each soil type, pixels with significant trends (ἀ < 0.05), positive and negative (bright and hot), for the period 2000 -2017, were searched for both, IPSE and RESTREND. Therefore, 6 pixels of the Modis sensor were selected for each landscape.

From the field evaluation it appears that the greatest difference between the bright and hot trends was the height of the forage, and that both are pasture conditions …

"Estimation Of The Primary Net Production Above Ground Through Remote Sensing In A Pastoral System Of The Colombian Altillanura.", R. A. Díaz, M. Álvarez, O. Pérez, J. Bernal, M. Arango

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The primary net production above ground (ANPP) represents the main forage resource that supports the bovine production systems and its valuation is essential to help in the decision making on the management of the pastures. The ANPP has been estimated by periodic biomass courtesy, but with the use of the remote sensor integrated into the efficiency model formulated by Monteih (1972), it has been possible to estimate this biophysical parameter more efficiently at different scales and at low cost. The objective of this study was to estimate the PPNA based on a model of efficiency in the use of light …