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NASA NTRS2006

Land-Cover and Land-Use Change in the Brazilian Amazon: Smallholders, Ranchers and Frontier Stratification

Tropical deforestation is a significant driver of global environmental change, given its impacts on the carbon cycle and biodiversity. Loss of the Amazon forest, the focus of this article, is of particular concern because of the size and the rapid rate at which the forest is being converted to agricultural use. In this article, we identify what has been the most important driver of deforestation in a specific colonization frontier in the Brazilian Amazon. To this end, we consider (1) the land-use dynamics of smallholder households, (2) the formation of pasture by large-scale ranchers, and (3) structural processes of land aggregation by ranchers. Much has been written about relations between smallholders and ranchers in the Brazilian Amazon, particularly those involving conflict over land, and this article explicates the implications of such social processes for land cover. Toward this end, we draw on panel data (1996-2002) and satellite imagery (1986-1999) to show the deforestation that is attributable to small- and largeholders, and the deforestation that is attributable to aggregations of property arising from a process that we refer to as frontier stratification. Evidently, most of the recent deforestation in the study area has resulted from the household processes of smallholders, not from conversions to pasture pursuant to the appropriations of smallholders' property by well-capitalized ranchers or speculators.

Aldrich, Stephen P.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Emissions from Biomass Burning in the Yucatan

In March 2006 two instrumented aircraft made the first detailed field measurements of biomass burning (BB) emissions in the Northern Hemisphere tropics as part of the MILAGRO project. The aircraft were the National Center for Atmospheric Research C-130 and a University of Montana/US Forest Service Twin Otter. The initial emissions of up to 49 trace gas or particle species were measured from 20 deforestation and crop residue fires on the Yucatan peninsula. This included two trace gases useful as indicaters of BB (HCN and acetonitrile) and several rarely, or never before, measured species: OH, peroxyacetic acid, propanoic acid, hydrogen peroxide, methane sulfonic acid, and sulfuric acid. Crop residue fires emitted more organic acids and ammonia than deforestation fires, but the emissions from the main fire types were otherwise fairly similar. The Yucatan fires emitted unusually amounts of SO2 and particle chloride, likely due to a strong marine influence on the peninsula.

Yokelson, R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Ecological applications of high resolution spectrometry

Future directions of NASA's space program plans include a significant effort at studying the Earth as a system of interrelated ecosystems. As part of NASA's Earth Observing System (Eos) Program a series of space platforms will be launched and operated to study the Earth with a variety of active and passive instruments. Several of the Eos instruments will be capable of imaging the planet's surface reflectance on a large number of very narrow portions of the solar spectrum. After the development of appropriate algorithms, this reflectance information will be used to determine key parameters about the structure and function of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and the pattern and processes of those systems across large areas of the globe. Algorithm development applicable to terrestrial systems will permit the inference of ecological processes from high resolution spectrometry data, similar to that to be forthcoming from the Eos mission. The first summer was spent working with tropical soils and relating their reflectance characteristics to particle size, iron content, and color. This summer the emphasis is on vegetation and work was begun with the Forest Ecosystems Dynamics Project in the Earth Resources Branch where both optical and radar characteristics of a mixed conifer/hardwood forest in Maine are being studied for use in a ecological modeling effort. A major series of aircraft overflights will take place throughout the summer. Laboratory and field spectrometers are used to measure the spectral reflectance of a hierarchy of vegetation from individual leaves to whole canopies for eventual modeling of their nutrient content using reflectance data. Key leaf/canopy parameters are being approximated including chlorophyll, nitrogen, phosphorus, water content, and leaf specific weight using high resolution spectrometry alone. Measurements are made of carbon exchange across the landscape for input to a spatial modeling effort to gauge production within the forest. A Geographic Information System approach is used to associate these data, images, and other collateral information for the forest into a database with a common projection suitable for spatial modeling.

Lawrence, William T.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A meteorological interpretation of the Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition (ABLE) 3B flight series

The Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition (ABLE) 3B was conducted to determine the summertime tropospheric distribution, sources, and sinks of important trace gas and aerosol species over the wetlands and boreal forests of central and eastern Canada. Isentropic trajectories and analyzed midtropospheric circulation patterns were used to group flights according to the transport histories of polar, midlatitude, or tropical air masses which were sampled. These data were then divided into bands of potential temperature levels representing the low, middle, and maximum aircraft altitudes to assess the effects of both local and long distance transport and natural and man-made pollutants to the measured chemical species. Detailed case studies are provided to depict the complex three-dimensional airflow regimes that transported air with differing chemical signatures to the study area. Mission 6 details the large-scale movement of smoke in the generally prevailing west to northwesterly airflow that was observed on the majority of flights. Mission 1 analyzes the horizontal and vertical motions of maritime Pacific air in the upper troposphere that was routinely mixed downward to the aircraft altitude. Finally, mission 14 tracks the far northward excursion of tropical air that had been associated with a Pacific typhoon. The following three factors all had important influences on the collected chemical data sets: (1) local and distant stratospheric in puts into the upper and middle troposphere; (2) biomass-burning plumes from active fires in Alaska and Canada; (3) a band of 'low ozone' upper tropospheric air that was observed by airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) above the aircraft maximum altitude. Other modification factors observed on some flights included urban pollution from U.S. and Canadian cities, tropical air that had been associated with a Pacific typhoon, and precipitation scavenging by clouds and rain. Many flights were affected by several of the above factors which led to complex chemical signatures that will be discussed in other companion papers.

Shipham, Mark C.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Far-Reaching Impacts of African Dust- A Calipso Perspective

African dust can transport across the tropical Atlantic and reach the Amazon basin, exerting far-reaching impacts on climate in downwind regions. The transported dust influences the surface-atmosphere interactions and cloud and precipitation processes through perturbing the surface radiative budget and atmospheric radiative heating and acting as cloud condensation nuclei and ice nuclei. Dust also influences biogeochemical cycle and climate through providing nutrients vital to the productivity of ocean biomass and Amazon forests. Assessing these climate impacts relies on an accurate quantification of dust transport and deposition. Currently model simulations show extremely large diversity, which calls for a need of observational constraints. Kaufman et al. (2005) estimated from MODIS aerosol measurements that about 144 Tg of dust is deposited into the tropical Atlantic and 50 Tg of dust into the Amazon in 2001. This estimated dust import to Amazon is a factor of 3-4 higher than other observations and models. However, several studies have argued that the oversimplified characterization of dust vertical profile in the study would have introduced large uncertainty and very likely a high bias. In this study we quantify the trans-Atlantic dust transport and deposition by using 7 years (2007-2013) observations from CALIPSO lidar. CALIPSO acquires high-resolution aerosol extinction and depolarization profiles in both cloud-free and above-cloud conditions. The unique CALIPSO capability of profiling aerosols above clouds offers an unprecedented opportunity of examining uncertainties associated with the use of MODIS clear-sky data. Dust is separated from other types of aerosols using the depolarization measurements. We estimated that on the basis of 7-year average, 118142 Tg of dust is deposited into the tropical Atlantic and 3860 Tg of dust into the Amazon basin. Substantial interannual variations are observed during the period, with the maximum to minimum ratio of about 1.6 and 2.5 for the deposition to the tropical Atlantic and Amazon, respectively. The MODIS-based estimates appear to fall within the range of CALIPSO-based estimates; and the difference between MODIS and CALIPSO estimates can be largely attributed to the interannual variability, which is corroborated by long-term surface dust concentration observations in the tropical Atlantic. Considering that CALIPSO generally tends to underestimate the aerosol loading, our estimate is likely to represent a low bound for the dust transport and deposition estimate. The finding suggests that models have substantial biases and considerable effort is needed to improve model simulations of dust cycle.

dust↗
NASA NTRS2001

Measurements of an Anomalous Global Methane Increase During 1998

Measurements of atmospheric methane from a globally distributed network of air sampling sites indicate that the globally averaged CH4 growth rate increased from an average of 3.9 ppb/yr during 1995-1997 to 12.7 +/- 0.6 ppb in 1998. The global growth rate then decreased to 2.6 +/- 0.6 ppb during 1999, indicating that the large increase in 1998 was an anomaly and not a return to the larger growth rates observed during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The increased growth rate represents an anomalous increase in the imbalance between CH4 sources and sinks equal to approximately 24 Tg CH4 during 1998. Wetlands and boreal biomass burning are sources that may have contributed to the anomaly. During 1998, the globally averaged temperature anomaly was +0.67 C, the largest temperature anomaly in the modern record. A regression model based on temperature and precipitation anomalies was used to calculate emission anomalies of 11.6 Tg CH4 from wetlands north of 30 N and 13 Tg CH4 for tropical wetlands during 1998 compared to average emissions calculated for 1982-1993. In 1999, calculated wetland emission anomalies were negative for high northern latitudes and the tropics, contributing to the low growth rate observed in 1999. Also 1998 was a severe fire year in boreal regions where approximately 1.3x10(exp 5) sq km of forest and peat land burned releasing an estimated 5.7 Tg CH4

Dlugokencky, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Assessment and Applications of NASA Ozone Data Products Derived from Aura OMI-MLS Satellite Measurements in Context of the GMI Chemical Transport Model

Measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), both onboard the Aura spacecraft, have been used to produce daily global maps of column and profile ozone since August 2004. Here we compare and evaluate three strategies to obtain daily maps of tropospheric and stratospheric ozone from OMI and MLS measurements: trajectory mapping, direct profile retrieval, and data assimilation. Evaluation is based upon an assessment that includes validation using ozonesondes and comparisons with the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) chemical transport model (CTM). We investigate applications of the three ozone data products from near-decadal and inter-annual timescales to day-to-day case studies. Zonally averaged inter-annual changes in tropospheric ozone from all of the products in any latitude range are of the order 1-2 Dobson Units while changes (increases) over the 8-year Aura record investigated http://eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/atbd-category/49 vary approximately 2-4 Dobson Units. It is demonstrated that all of the ozone products can measure and monitor exceptional tropospheric ozone events including major forest fire and pollution transport events. Stratospheric ozone during the Aura record has several anomalous inter-annual events including stratospheric warming split events in the Northern Hemisphere extra-tropics that are well captured using the data assimilation ozone profile product. Data assimilation with continuous daily global coverage and vertical ozone profile information is the best of the three strategies at generating a global tropospheric and stratospheric ozone product for science applications.

GMI↗
NASA NTRS2017

The Impact of Anthropogenic Land Use and Land Cover Change on Regional Climate Extremes

Recent research highlights the role of land surface processes in heat waves, droughts, and other extreme events. Here we use an earth system model (ESM) from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) to investigate the regional impacts of historical anthropogenic land useland cover change (LULCC) on combined extremes of temperature and humidity. A bivariate assessment allows us to consider aridity and moist enthalpy extremes, quantities central to human experience of near-surface climate conditions. We show that according to this model, conversion of forests to cropland has contributed to much of the upper central US and central Europe experiencing extreme hot, dry summers every 2-3 years instead of every 10 years. In the tropics, historical patterns of wood harvesting, shifting cultivation and regrowth of secondary vegetation have enhanced near surface moist enthalpy, leading to extensive increases in the occurrence of humid conditions throughout the tropics year round. These critical land use processes and practices are not included in many current generation land models, yet these results identify them as critical factors in the energy and water cycles of the midlatitudes and tropics.

Near-surface↗
NASA NTRS2021

Mapping the Extent of Mangrove Ecosystem Degradation by Integrating an Ecological Conceptual Model with Satellite Data

Anthropogenic and natural disturbances can cause degradation of ecosystems, reducing their capacity to sustain biodiversity and provide ecosystem services. Understanding the extent of ecosystem degradation is critical for estimating risks to ecosystems, yet there are few existing methods to map degradation at the ecosystem scale and none using freely available satellite data for mangrove ecosystems. In this study, we developed a quantitative classification model of mangrove ecosystem degradation using freely available earth observation data. Crucially, a conceptual model of mangrove ecosystem degradation was established to identify suitable remote sensing variables that support the quantitative classification model, bridging the gap between satellite-derived variables and ecosystem degradation with explicit ecological links. We applied our degradation model to two case-studies, the mangroves of Rakhine State, Myanmar, which are severely threatened by anthropogenic disturbances, and Shark River within the Everglades National Park, USA, which is periodically disturbed by severe tropical storms. Our model suggested that 40% (597 km2) of the extent of mangroves in Rakhine showed evidence of degradation. In the Everglades, the model suggested that the extent of degraded mangrove forest increased from 5.1% to 97.4% following the Category 4 Hurricane Irma in 2017. Quantitative accuracy assessments indicated the model achieved overall accuracies of 77.6% and 79.1% for the Rakhine and the Everglades, respectively. We highlight that using an ecological conceptual model as the basis for building quantitative classification models to estimate the extent of ecosystem degradation ensures the ecological relevance of the classification models. Our developed method enables researchers to move beyond only mapping ecosystem distribution to condition and degradation as well. These results can help support ecosystem risk assessments, natural capital accounting, and restoration planning and provide quantitative estimates of ecosystem degradation for new global biodiversity targets.

Calvin K. F. Lee↗
NASA NTRS2004

The GOES-R Lightning Mapper Sensor

The Lightning Mapper Sensor on GOES-R builds on previous measurements of lightning from low earth orbit by the OTD (Optical Transient Detector) and LIS (Lightning Imaging Sensor) sensors. Unlike observations from low earth orbit, the GOES-R platform will allow continuous monitoring of lightning activity over the Continental United States and southern Canada, Central and South America, and portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The LMS will detect total (cloud-to-ground and intracloud) lightning at storm scale resolution (approx. 8 km) using a highly sensitive Charge Coupled Device (CCD) detector array. Discrimination between lightning optical transients and a bright sunlit background scene is accomplished by employing spectral, spatial, and temporal filtering along with a background subtraction technique. The result is 24 hour detection capability of total lightning. These total lightning observations can be made available to users within about 20 seconds. Research indicates a number of ways that total lightning observations from LMS could benefit operational activities, including 1) potential increases in lead times and reduced false alarms for severe thunderstorm and tornado Warnings, 2) improved routing of &rail around thunderstorms, 3) support for spacecraft launches and landings, 4) improved ability to monitor tropical cyclone intensity, 5) ability to monitor thunderstorm intensification/weakening during radar outages or where radar coverage is poor, 6) better identification of deep convection for the initialization of numerical prediction models, 7) improved forest fire forecasts, 8) identification of convective initiation, 9) identification of heavy convective snowfall, and 10) enhanced temporal resolution of storm evolution (1 minute) than is available from radar observations. Total lightning data has been used in an operational environment since July 2003 at the Huntsville, Alabama National Weather Service office. Total lightning measurements are obtained by the North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) and have successfully been used in warning decisions. Every 2 minutes, total lightning counts in 2 km by 2 km horizontal, 1 km vertical grids are available to forecasters on an AWIPS (Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System) workstation. Experience with the LMA total lightning data is used to illustrate the potential use of LMS data that would be available to forecasters across the US. This abstract is for submission as a presentation to the National Weather Association Annual Meeting to be held 16-21 October 2004 in Portland, OR. This abstract will be published in the conference proceedings.

Buechler, Dennis↗
NASA NTRS2019

Trends and Seasonal Variability of Atmospheric NO2 and HNO3 Concentrations Across Three Major African Biomes Inferred from Long-Term Series of Ground-Based and Satellite Measurements

In the framework of the INDAAF (International Network to study Deposition and Atmospheric chemistry in AFrica) programme, part of the ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure), European Research Infrastructure for the long-term observation of Aerosol, Cloud, and Trace gases, this paper aims to study trends and seasonal variability of surface atmospheric NO2 and HNO3 concentrations, and OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) NO2 over 6 sites in tropical Africa. Sites are located in west and central Africa to represent the major African biomes: dry savanna (Banizoumbou, Niger and Katibougou, Mali), wet savanna (Djougou, Benin and Lamto, Côte d’Ivoire) and forest (Bomassa, Republic of Congo and Zoétélé, Cameroon). Ground-based NO2 and HNO3 concentrations were obtained over the period 1998–2015 using INDAAF passive samplers at a monthly basis, and NO2 Vertical Column Densities (VCDs) from OMI for a 1-degree grid cell around each sites were obtained from 2005 to 2015. Mean annual NO2 concentrations ranged from 2.3 plus or minus 1.2 to 0.9 plus or minus 0.4 parts per billion (ppb) from dry savannas to forests, representing a north-south gradient. In dry savannas, we observe two concentration peaks of NO2 appearing at the beginning and the end of the wet season both for ground-based and satellite measurements, whereas at wet savannas and forest sites, NO2 concentrations are highest in the dry season. The seasonality of surface NO2 observations provide further evidence for a large role of microbial soil NOx emissions in dry savannas and of biomass burning NOx emissions in wet savanna and forest sites. Mean annual HNO3 concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 0.5 ppb in dry and wet savannas to 0.2 to 0.3 ppb in forest. In dry ecosystems, higher HNO3 concentrations are measured in the early wet season, consistent with NO2 results. The analysis of a long-term dataset of surface O3 concentrations indicates that HNO3 production can mainly be explained by the photo-oxidation of NOx. Mann-Kendall and Seasonal Kendall statistical tests showed that NO2 surface concentrations have a significant decreasing seasonal and annual trends at multiple sites (p-value less than 0.05) ranging from -2.96 percent per year (at Zoétélé) to -0.64 percent per year (at Banizoumbou). HNO3 results indicate no trends except at Bomassa (1.07 percent per year). The decreasing NO2 ground-based concentration trends observed in wet savannas sites are correlated with OMI NO2 decreasing trends at these sites. Trends obtained for NO2 concentrations in wet savanna and forest ecosystems are consistent with trends of NOₓ biomass burning emissions.

Trends↗
NASA NTRS1996

Radiative Effects of Aerosols Generated from Biomass Burning, Dust Storms, and Forest Fires

Atmospheric aerosol particles, both natural and anthropogenic, are important to the earth's radiative balance. They scatter the incoming solar radiation and modify the shortwave reflective properties of clouds by acting as Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN). Although it has been recognized that aerosols exert a net cooling influence on climate (Twomey et al. 1984), this effect has received much less attention than the radiative forcings due to clouds and greenhouse gases. The radiative forcing due to aerosols is comparable in magnitude to current anthropogenic greenhouse gas forcing but opposite in sign (Houghton et al. 1990). Atmospheric aerosol particles generated from biomass burning, dust storms and forest fires are important regional climatic variables. A recent study by Penner et al. (1992) proposed that smoke particles from biomass burning may have a significant impact on the global radiation balance. They estimate that about 114 Tg of smoke is produced per year in the tropics through biomass burning. The direct and indirect effects of smoke aerosol due to biomass burning could add up globally to a cooling effect as large as 2 W/sq m. Ackerman and Chung (1992) used model calculations and the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data to show that in comparison to clear days, the heavy dust loading over the Saudi Arabian peninsula can change the Top of the Atmosphere (TOA) clear sky shortwave and longwave radiant exitance by 40-90 W/sq m and 5-20 W/sq m, respectively. Large particle concentrations produced from these types of events often are found with optical thicknesses greater than one. These aerosol particles are transported across considerable distances from the source (Fraser et al. 1984). and they could perturb the radiative balance significantly. In this study, the regional radiative effects of aerosols produced from biomass burning, dust storms and forest fires are examined using the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Local Area Coverage (LAC) data and the instantaneous scanner ERBE data from the NOAA-9 and NOAA-10 satellites.

Christopher Sundar A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Seasonal and Vegetational Variation in Albedo Measured During CERES Ground-Validation Pilot Study

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) satellite is scheduled for launch in the Fall of 1997 aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). A surface measurement pilot study has been initiated in a 37-km region near Richmond, VA, for comparison with the CERES surface flux retrievals. Two-minute averaged upwelling and downwelling surface fluxes over a mostly deciduous forest have been recorded daily for the past two years, and show a broadband, shortwave daily albedo increase during the summer months. Evidence is presented that indicates vegetational changes in the forest as the overriding mechanism for this change. Upwelling flux measured over the entire region by helicopter-mounted instrumentation has been processed for four solar seasons. Future plans include the installation of four more albedo surface sites over various types of vegetation throughout the region.

Schuster, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Impact of Amazonian Deforestation on Dry-Season Rainfall

Many modeling studies have concluded that widespread deforestation of Amazonia would lead to decreased rainfall. We analyze geosynchronous infrared satellite data with respect percent cloudiness, and analyze rain estimates from microwave sensors aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. We conclude that in the dry-season, when the effects of the surface are not overwhelmed by synoptic-scale weather disturbances, deep convective cloudiness, as well as rainfall occurrence, all increase over the deforested and non-forested (savanna) regions. This is in response to a local circulation initiated by the differential heating of the region's varying forestation. Analysis of the diurnal cycle of cloudiness reveals a shift toward afternoon hours in the deforested and savanna regions, compared to the forested regions. Analysis of 14 years of data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager data revealed that only in August did rainfall amounts increase over the deforested region.

Negri, Andrew J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Impact of a Amazonian Deforestation on Dry-Season Rainfall

Many modeling studies have concluded that widespread deforestation of Amazonia would lead to decreased rainfall. We analyze geosynchronous infrared satellite data with respect to percent cloudiness, and analyze rain estimates from microwave sensors aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. We conclude that in the dry-season, when the effects of the surface are not overwhelmed by synoptic-scale weather disturbances, shallow cumulus cloudiness, deep convective cloudiness, and rainfall occurrence all are larger over the deforested and non-forested (savanna) regions than over areas of dense jungle. This difference is in response to a local circulation initiated by the differential heating of the region s varying forestation. Analysis of the diurnal cycle of cloudiness reveals a shift in the onset of convection toward afternoon hours in the deforested and towards the morning hours in the savanna regions when compared to the neighboring forested regions. Analysis of 14 years of monthly estimates from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager data revealed that in only in August was there a pattern of higher monthly rainfall amounts over the deforested region.

Negri, Andrew J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Remote Sensing of Global Fire Patterns, Aerosol Optical Thickness, and Carbon Monoxide During April 1994

Fires play a crucial role in several ecosystems. They are routinely used to burn forests in order to accommodate the needs of the expanding population, clear land for agricultural purposes, eliminate weeds and pests, regenerate nutrients in grazing and crop lands and produce energy for cooking and heating purposes. Most of the fires on earth are related to biomass burning in the tropics, although they are not confined to these latitudes. The boreal and tundra regions also experience fires on a yearly basis. The current study examines global fire patterns, Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) and carbon monoxide concentrations during April 9-19, 1994. Recently, global Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data at nadir ground spatial resolution of 1 km are made available through the NASA/NOAA Pathfinder project. These data from April 9-19, 1994 are used to map fires over the earth. In summary, our analysis shows that fires from biomass burning appear to be the dominant factor for increased tropospheric CO concentrations as measured by the MAPS. The vertical transport of CO by convective activities, along with horizontal transport due to the prevailing winds, are responsible for the observed spatial distribution of CO.

Christopher, Sundar A.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Peru Health & Air Quality: Land Use Change in the Rapidly Developing Peruvian Amazon and Implications on Zoonotic Disease Incidence

In the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon, forests are being cleared for mining, timber harvesting, road construction, and hydroelectric dam development. These rapid land use changes are increasing human presence in previously sparsely populated areas, disrupting ecosystems and increasing the proximity of human settlement to zoonotic disease vectors. Dengue fever and leishmaniasis are two neglected tropical diseases which are prevalent in Madre de Dios and have been associated with urbanization and road construction. In partnership with the Peruvian Ministries of Health (MINSA) and the Environment (MINAM) and other in-country collaborators, our team examined Land Use Land Cover (LULC) correlations with reported dengue and leishmaniasis incidence in the Madre de Dios region to help partners understand the spatial relationship between land use change and zoonotic disease incidence. We created a LULC classification script using Google Earth Engine with Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager imagery to classify land cover in 2010, 2015, and 2020 and evaluate changes over this time period. We then used the quantified results of the LULC assessment in conjunction with reported disease cases to evaluate correlations between disease incidence and key land cover changes across Madre de Dios’s 11 districts. In the second term, the team will use these products to develop more detailed disease incidence risk maps and models. High risk areas will then be classified, using PeruSat-1 that allow for even higher resolution mapping at less than 3 meters. These products will allow the partners to understand hotspots of land cover change in Peru and the relationship with outbreaks to inform public health decision making and environmental policy.

Elizabeth Stapleton↗