Grantee Research Project Results
1998 Progress Report: Assessment and Analysis of Ecosystem Stressors Across Scales Using Remotely Sensed Imagery Reducing Uncertainty in Managing the Colorado Plateau Ecosystem
EPA Grant Number: R825152Title: Assessment and Analysis of Ecosystem Stressors Across Scales Using Remotely Sensed Imagery Reducing Uncertainty in Managing the Colorado Plateau Ecosystem
Investigators: Weigel, Stephanie J.
Institution: Colorado State University
Current Institution: Colorado State University , University of Wisconsin - Madison
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: October 1, 1996 through September 30, 1999
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998
Project Amount: $251,237
RFA: Ecological Assessment (1996) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Aquatic Ecosystems
Objective:
The project investigates issues of scale in reducing uncertainty in ecosystem management for the Colorado Plateau ecosystem, by examining potential characteristic scales at which environmental stressors and their effects may be manifested on ecosystem landscapes, as detected by remotely sensed imagery. The project is developing an analytical algorithm for using multiscale, remotely sensed data in the characterization and analysis of landscapes at the ecosystem level. This will result in the characterization of environmental stressors across both temporal (1970's-1990's) and spatial (60 m - 1 km pixel resolution) scales. Knowledge of characteristic scales provides managers and researchers with guidelines for selecting scales at which to capture or aggregate data, as well as information on the scales of processes and factors that have the potential to threaten ecosystem integrity.
Progress Summary:
A large amount of effort was given this year to perfecting the mosaicking methodologies for creating the ecosystem-level image mosaic. Since the NALC data set being used consists of scenes from different sensors and dates, it was deemed necessary following initial mosaic attempts to perform extensive standardization on the 14 component images. This was done by calculation of the effective at-satellite planetary reflectance (ASPR) for each image, which incorporates information both from Landsat satellite parameters (obtained from EOSAT publications) as well as from The American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac. Following the calculation of ASPR, a biasing algorithm was used to adjust the images based on an initial "master" image, which was chosen to represent the variety of environments present in the ecosystem. Then, these 14 images were mosaicked to form an ecosystem extent image, which was clipped to the ecosystem boundary. This procedure was completed for the 1990's images, and is being modeled using the ERDAS Imagine Modeler module software to streamline the process for the 1980's and 1970's imagery. The project is slightly behind schedule, due to the attention given to the mosaicking. However, the next steps can be performed in a slightly accelerated manner that will allow results to be obtained on schedule with the original schedule. Concurrent with the image processing that was performed, the methodologies for image rescaling and the scale analysis methods were tested on sample images to determine their robustness for the project. In addition, this summer the PI was able to make a site visit to the ecoregion, in conjunction with attendance at the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) meeting in Park City, Utah in June. Slides from the site visit have been posted on the web site (see below).
Future Activities:
The project will proceed with the scale analysis and change detection analyses, concurrent with the creation of the 1980's and 1990's mosaic images. The large spatial extent of the study area necessitates a high degree of system file manipulation and organization while the mosaics are being generated. It is possible that additional disk space will be obtained to streamline these processes.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 4 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
ecosystem, scaling, remote sensing, Colorado Plateau., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecology, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, exploratory research environmental biology, Chemical Mixtures - Environmental Exposure & Risk, State, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecological Effects - Human Health, Environmental Monitoring, Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecology and Ecosystems, Ecological Indicators, ecological exposure, analytical algorithm, multi-scale biophysical models, remote sensing, scaling, ecosystem assessment, variance analysis, Colorado Plateau ecosystem, environmental stressor, multiple stressors, ecological assessment, ecological impacts, assessment methods, environmental stress, landscape characterization, fractal analysis, Colorado (CO)Relevant Websites:
The project is included in the Environmental Health Advanced Systems Laboratory (EHASL) Web page at http://ehasl.cvmbs.colostate.edu . The page is currently under revision, but the link to the project can be found at http://ehasl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/remote . The PI no longer works at EHASL, so future updates to the project page would occur at another site.
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.