Results for “biodiversity & conservation” — Page 3

NASA NTRS2021

Tonlé Sap Food Security & Agriculture III: Evaluating Changes in Ecosystem Vitality and Freshwater Health in the Tonlé Sap Basin using Remotely Sensed Data

Tonlé Sap Lake, located in Cambodia, Southeast Asia, is one of the most productive inland fisheries in the world. With the unique reverse flow hydrology of the Tonlé Sap River, this freshwater system contains rich biodiversity and provides critical freshwater resources for the local community. Overfishing, stronger seasonality, drought, dam construction, forest fires, and untreated industrial domestic sewage threaten the ecosystem vitality and economic success of Tonlé Sap. In collaboration with Conservation International and the Cambodian Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology’s Tonlé Sap Authority, we calibrated and finalized remotely-sensed proxies for sub-indicators of the Freshwater Health Index (FHI). We used NASA Earth observation data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). These datasets were used in RS proxies and a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model that previous teams developed for sub-indicators of FHI. They included landcover, bank modification, and water quality metrics. It was determined that the ground water storage in Tonlé Sap Lake exhibited a slight declining trend over from April 1st, 2002 to February 3rd, 2017. To calculate chlorophyll-a concentration in the Tonlé Sap Lake, we used Copernicus Global Land Service mission data which provided a Trophic State Index of the lake. Between January 1st, 2000 and December 31st, 2020, the lake and surrounding region within the study area boundary displayed a slight decrease in vegetation density and consistently high chlorophyll-a concentrations. The SWAT model calculated nitrogen and phosphorus content measured in outlet points of the lake. We demonstrated that remotely sensed data is valuable for providing additional information for the FHI, but is not fully capable of replacing its in situ counterpart. We also concluded the water quantity is on a slowly declining trend within the basin.

Joey Lindsay↗

NASA NTRS2020

Lower Omo Food Security & Agriculture: Mapping Land Cover Change in Unprotected and Protected Areas in the Lower Omo River Valley, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to unique wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystem services and, like much of the world, is undergoing population growth, development, and land use change. As a result, some biodiverse regions may be at risk of being urbanized, cultivated as agricultural plots, or losing access to water bodies that are essential for maintaining both terrestrial and aquatic life. The DEVELOP team partnered with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority to quantify the land cover change between the years 1994, 2010, and 2018. The team utilized Ethiopia’s dry season (January to May) for training point development which was crucial in differentiating the level of greenness between the four land cover classes: water, natural vegetation, cultivated land, and bare ground. The study area covered 62,000 km2 of the Lower Omo River Valley and includes eight protected areas. Data from Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper, Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission were used to employ a Random Forest classifier and identify the four classes within Google Earth Engine. For each of the supervised classifications, overall model accuracy was between 83% (2018) and 89% (1994). Between 1994 and 2018, the Lower Omo Valley experienced an overall increase of 258% (919 km2) in water and 291% (7,188 km2) in cultivated areas, while experiencing a 9% (2,761 km2) decrease in natural vegetation and 19% (5,346 km2) bare ground. There was an increase in water and cultivated land and a decrease in natural vegetation and bare ground in unprotected areas and all protected areas. However, protected areas maintained natural vegetation better than unprotected areas and only experienced a 1% (59 km2) loss compared to a 10% (2,701 km2) loss in unprotected areas.

Food Security & Agriculture↗

NASA NTRS2020

Lower Omo Food Security & Agriculture: Mapping Land Cover Change in Unprotected and Protected Areas in the Lower Omo River Valley, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to unique wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystem services and, like much of the world, is undergoing population growth, development, and land use change. As a result, some biodiverse regions may be at risk of being urbanized, cultivated as agricultural plots, or losing access to water bodies that are essential for maintaining both terrestrial and aquatic life. The DEVELOP team partnered with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority to quantify the land cover change between the years 1994, 2010, and 2018. The team utilized Ethiopia’s dry season (January to May) for training point development which was crucial in differentiating the level of greenness between the four land cover classes: water, natural vegetation, cultivated land, and bare ground. The study area covered 62,000 sq.km of the Lower Omo River Valley and includes eight protected areas. We used Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper, Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission imagery within Google Earth Engine to employ a Random Forest Classifier and identify these four distinct classes. For each of our supervised classifications, overall model accuracy was between 83% (2018) and 89% (1994). Between 1994 and 2018, the Lower Omo Valley experienced an overall increase of 258.57% in water bodies and 291.23% in cultivated areas, while experiencing an 8.91% decrease in natural vegetation and 18.76% bare ground. There was an increase in water bodies and cultivated land and a decrease in natural vegetation and bare ground in unprotected areas and all protected areas. However, protected areas disproportionately experienced an increase in land cover change, including Tama Community Conservation Area which saw a 17,272.33% increase between 1994 and 2018.

Food Security & Agriculture↗

NASA NTRS2005

Space Based Ornithology: On the Wings of Migration and Biophysics

The study of bird migration on a global scale is one of the compelling and challenging problems of modern biology with major implications for human health and conservation biology. Migration and conservation efforts cross national boundaries and are subject to numerous international agreements and treaties. Space based technology offers new opportunities to shed understanding on the distribution and migration of organisms on the planet and their sensitivity to human disturbances and environmental changes. Migration is an incredibly diverse and complex behavior. A broad outline of space based research must address three fundamental questions: (1) where could birds be, i.e. what is their fundamental niche constrained by their biophysical limits? (2) where do we actually find birds, i.e. what is their realizable niche as modified by local or regional abiotic and biotic factors, and (3) how do they get there (and how do we know?), that is what are their migration patterns and associated mechanisms? Our working hypothesis is that individual organism biophysical models of energy and water balance, driven by satellite measurements of spatio-temporal gradients in climate and habitat, will help us to explain the variability in avian species richness and distribution. Dynamic state variable modeling provides one tool for studying bird migration across multiple scales and can be linked to mechanistic models describing the time and energy budget states of migrating birds. Such models yield an understanding of how a migratory flyway and its component habitats function as a whole and link stop-over ecology with biological conservation and management. Further these models provide an ecological forecasting tool for science and application users to address what are the possible consequences of loss of wetlands, flooding, drought or other natural disasters such as hurricanes on avian biodiversity and bird migration.

Smith, James A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Protecting rain forests and forager's rights using LANDSAT imagery

Creating rain forest reserves is vital given the global decline in biodiversity. Yet, the plants and animals that will be protected from untrammeled commercial exploitation within such reserves constitute essential resources for indigenous foragers and farmers. Balancing the needs of local subsistence level populations with the goals of national and international conservation agencies requires a thorough understanding of the mutual impacts that arise from the interaction of park and people. In the Ituri forest of Zaire, LANDSAT TM image analysis and GPS ground truth data were used to locate human settlements so that boundaries of the proposed Okapi Reserve could be chosen to minimize its impact on the subsistence practices of the local foragers and farmers. Using satellite imagery in conjunction with cultural information should help to ensure traditional resource exploitation rights of indigenous peoples whilst simultaneously protecting the largest contiguous area of undisturbed forest.

Wilkie, David S.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Biodiversity: past, present, and future

Data from the fossil record are used to illustrate biodiversity in the past and estimate modern biodiversity and loss. This data is used to compare current rates of extinction with past extinction events. Paleontologists are encouraged to use this data to understand the course and consequences of current losses and to share this knowledge with researchers interested in conservation and ecology.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

NASA NTRS2022

Effects of Amazonian Flying Rivers on Frog Biodiversity and Populations in the Atlantic Rainforest

Given the speed at which humans are changing the climate, species with high degrees of endemism may not have time to avoid extinction through adaptation. We investigated through teleconnection analysis the origin of rainfall that determines the phylogenetic diversity of rainforest frogs and the effects of microclimate differences in shaping the morphological traits of isolated populations (which contribute to greater phylogenetic diversity and speciation). We also investigated through teleconnection analysis how deforestation in Amazonia can affect ecosystem services that are fundamental to maintaining the climate of the Atlantic rainforest biodiversity hotspot. Seasonal winds known as flying rivers carry water vapor from Amazonia to the Atlantic Forest, and the breaking of this ecosystem service could lead Atlantic Forest species to population decline and extinction in the short term. Our results suggest that the selection of morphological traits that shape Atlantic Forest frog diversity and their population dynamics are influenced by the Amazonian flying rivers. Our results also suggest that the increases of temperature anomalies in the Atlantic Ocean due to global warming and in the Amazon forest due to deforestation are already breaking this cycle and threaten the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest hotspot.

anurans↗

NASA NTRS2024

South Africa Ecological Conservation: Identifying and Mapping Riparian Areas in South Africa with Earth Observations

Riparian zones are thin strips of wetland that occur along the edges of rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. They provide many ecosystem and societal benefits such as stream bank stabilization, flood control, and habitat stability, making these zones very important areas to preserve and protect. Recognizing the need to accurately map these ecosystems in a cost-effective way, we partnered with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the Biodiversity Survey of the Cape(BioSCape) to develop a GI methodology using Esri's ArcGIS Pro and data from Landsat 9 Operational Land Imager-2, Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument, and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission to identify potential riparian zones (PRZ) and observed riparian vegetation(ORV) in the Southern Cape and the North West Province of South Africa to estimate the actual riparian vegetation (ARV) within those areas. Potential riparian ecosystems were calculated by utilizing a Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) and a water feature layer, while observed riparian vegetation were calculated by overlaying a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and TWI. Actual Riparian Vegetation is determined by the overlap of ORV with PRZ and is done with conditional statements; ORV within PRZ is ARV. This method significantly improved a current riparian land cover classification since it combined high resolution optical imagery and topographic data. We anticipate such maps will be used by conservationists and practitioners interested in riparian monitoring and management.

Remote Sensing↗

NASA NTRS2022

The Future: Nasa’s Surface Biology and Geology Mission and the Dark (Aquatic) Side

With the release of NASA’s Earth System Observatory (ESO) measurement targets that includes studying the Earth’s Surface Biology and Geology (SBG), a global visible to shortwave infrared imaging spectrometer and a multispectral thermal infrared imager have been planned to launch in the late 2020s. This mission will enable unprecedented interdisciplinary science and applications relevant to studying the biology and geology of the Earth's surface. Measurement targets are directly aligned for studying coastal and inland waters ecosystems and water quality, including coralreef ecosystems, snow and ice, mineralogy, volcanology, biology, ecology, biodiversity, and components of radiative forcing from the surface such as greenhouse gas emissions. The observations not only have scientific value in studying feedbacks and interactions of surface processes (e.g., harmful algal blooms, domoic acid, oil spills, and other hazardous events), but also societal benefit – with the capacity to support real-world decision-making such as response to theseevents and inland water conservation, protection of drinking water quality for public and environmental health, and habitat conservation. The work presented here outlines the conducted mission and architecture study and the initiation of science performance trades (signal sensitivity; spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution; and atmospheric effects) informing the design of the SBG segment of the ESO providing the most value to myriad science and applications as possible. Science and applications synergies and algorithms with the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) and the Geostationary Littoral Imaging and Monitoring Radiometer (GLIMR) is opportunistic for advancing aquatics research and applications.

THE FUTURE↗

NASA NTRS1992

Effects of habitat map generalization in biodiversity assessment

Species richness is being mapped as part of an inventory of biological diversity in California (i.e., gap analysis). Species distributions are modeled with a GIS on the basis of maps of each species' preferred habitats. Species richness is then tallied in equal-area sampling units. A GIS sensitivity analysis examined the effects of the level of generalization of the habitat map on the predicted distribution of species richness in the southern Sierra Nevada. As the habitat map was generalized, the number of habitat types mapped within grid cells tended to decrease with a corresponding decline in numbers of species predicted. Further, the ranking of grid cells in order of predicted numbers of species changed dramatically between levels of generalization. Areas predicted to be of greatest conservation value on the basis of species richness may therefore be sensitive to GIS data resolution.

Stoms, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2022

Bryce Canyon Water Resources: Monitoring Vegetation Health and Water Availability in Bryce Canyon National Park for Drought Stress Mitigation Planning

Bryce Canyon National Park is home to groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) that are threatened by a multidecadal drought and increased groundwater extraction due to a spike in tourism. These ecosystems contain unique species that are only found in areas where near-surface groundwater is present, such as aspen groves and fens. These species contribute to the high biodiversity found in Bryce Canyon, which boosts an ecosystem’s productivity and the services it provides to the park. Unfortunately, many of these GDEs are too small to identify with traditional Earth observation platforms and are difficult to physically reach for monitoring purposes. This project partnered with the National Park Service to identify springs and seeps as a proxy for GDEs within Bryce Canyon from 2013–2022. Furthermore, this project tested the feasibility of various methods to detect and monitor springs and seeps and therefore facilitate the partner’s efforts to conserve these ecologically valuable GDEs in Bryce Canyon. The team mapped groundwater discharge with high resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) and assessed park vegetation trends with Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and PlanetScope imagery. In-situ precipitation data and the Western Land Data Assimilation System (WLDAS) were used to produce time series of climatic variables. Seeps and spring locations were predicted using random forest classification and maximum entropy machine learning models.

Groundwater dependent ecosystems↗

NASA NTRS2005

Space-based Remote Sensing: A Tool for Studying Bird Migration Across Multiple Scales

The study of bird migration on a global scale is one of the compelling and challenging problems of modern biology with major implications for human health and conservation biology. Migration and conservation efforts cross national boundaries and are subject to numerous international agreements and treaties. Space based technology offers new opportunities to shed understanding on the distribution and migration of organisms on the planet and their sensitivity to human disturbances and environmental changes. Our working hypothesis is that individual organism biophysical models of energy and water balance, driven by satellite measurements of spatio-temporal gradients in climate and habitat, will help us to explain the variability in avian species richness and distribution. Further, these models provide an ecological forecasting tool for science and application users to visualize the possible consequences of loss of wetlands, flooding, or other natural disasters such as hurricanes on avian biodiversity and bird migration.

Smith, James A.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

NASA NTRS2020

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

NASA NTRS2020

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Monitoring Vegetation Health and Water Availability in Bryce Canyon National Park for Drought Stress Mitigation Planning

Bryce Canyon National Park is home to groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) that are threatened by a multidecadal drought and increased groundwater extraction due to a spike in tourism. These ecosystems contain unique species that are only found in areas where near-surface groundwater is present, such as aspen groves and willows. GDEs contribute to the high biodiversity found in Bryce Canyon, which boosts an ecosystem’s productivity and increases the overall ecological health of the park. Unfortunately, many GDEs in this area are too small to identify with traditional Earth observation platforms and are difficult to physically reach for identification and monitoring. NASA DEVELOP partnered with the National Park Service to establish a framework that both identified and assessed the health of GDEs within Bryce Canyon from 2013–2022. The team used high-resolution PlanetScope and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) to map springs, seeps, and GDEs. Modeled data from the Western Land Data Assimilation System (WLDAS) and in situ precipitation data were used to produce time series of climatic variables for the National Park Service to gain an understanding of how the GDEs are changing with the ongoing drought. This study is essential to the goal of the National Park Service to conserve the health of these GDEs.

Aaron Carr↗

NASA NTRS2023

Extensive Global Wetland Loss Over the Past Three Centuries

Wetlands have long been drained for human use, thereby strongly affecting greenhouse gas fluxes, flood control, nutrient cycling and biodiversity. Nevertheless, the global extent of natural wetland loss remains remarkably uncertain. Here, we reconstruct the spatial distribution and timing of wetland loss through conversion to seven human land uses between 1700 and 2020, by combining national and subnational records of drainage and conversion with land-use maps and simulated wetland extents. We estimate that 3.4 million km 2 (confidence interval 2.9–3.8) of inland wetlands have been lost since 1700, primarily for conversion to croplands. This net loss of 21% (confidence interval 16–23%) of global wetland area is lower than that suggested previously by extrapolations of data disproportionately from high-loss regions. Wetland loss has been concentrated in Europe, the United States and China, and rapidly expanded during the mid-twentieth century. Our reconstruction elucidates the timing and land-use drivers of global wetland losses, providing an improved historical baseline to guide assessment of wetland loss impact on Earth system processes, conservation planning to protect remaining wetlands and prioritization of sites for wetland restoration.

Etienne Fluet-Chouinard↗