Our Science:  Land Cover Change

It is critical that science-based management plans be developed to provide sustainable populations of wild sheep and goats. Several Asian Argali’s are listed as threatened or endangered, requiring long-term effective management. Wild sheep in particular are sensitive to change and very well could be considered an indicator species regarding the effects of climate change in arctic and high mountain ecosystems. more...

Tribal leaders from the San Carlos Apache Tribe have expressed their need for acquiring remotely sensed data products and technology to assist with ecosystem management plans and wise use of their resources. The Southwest Geographic Science Team is currently working closely with Tribal natural resource personnel to develop products to satisfy jointly developed objectives and which reflect their stated priorities. In addition to producing the desired products, the methods used will also provide valuable insight into the best satellite data and methodologies for vegetation mapping and monitoring of grasslands and forested areas.

A critical aspect of this effort is the transfer of technology, and training of tribal natural resource and GIS personnel in the use and application of remotely sensed data and image processing technologies in order to build that capability within the Tribes. more...

The research proposed here will characterize the seasonal phenology and interannual dynamics of ecological systems as recently mapped in the arid and semi-arid southwest to create a 'phenological profile' of the system. Changes in these profiles may be due to many factors, including fire, invasion of non-native species, land use activities, and vegetation response to climate fluctuations or change. In this time of apparent global change, it is important to recognize and monitor even subtle landscape changes, and necessary to separate trends toward a new state of the ecological system from patterns of normal variability. This research will help identify these trends as early as possible. more...

The Lower Colorado River is being mapped from a historical perspective and made available to scientists studying vegetation communities, wildlife, surface water, soil moisture, energy processes, water quantity, and sediment loads via a web-mapping service. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Resources Management Office located in Boulder City, Nevada is partnering with USGS on this project. more...

Land Cover Trends is a national project that describes for specific geographic areas within the conterminous United States the rates, causes, and consequences of land use and land cover change for the period 1972 to 2000. more...

Lake Tahoe is a natural resource famous for its alpine setting and deep, clear waters. more...