ecological conditions of us national parks: enabling decision support through monitoring, analysis,...
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Ecological Conditions of US National Parks: Ecological Conditions of US National Parks: Enabling Decision Support Through Monitoring, Enabling Decision Support Through Monitoring,
Analysis, and ForecastingAnalysis, and Forecasting
NASA Applications Sciences Program: Decision Support through Earth Science Research Results (DECISIONS)
NPS I&M Program
Park Analysis of Landscapes and Monitoring Support (PALMS)
or
Andy Hansen and Nate Piekielek, Montana State University
Scott Goetz, Woods Hole Research Center
John Gross, NPS I&M Program
Forrest Melton and Rama Nemani, CSU Monterey Bay / NASA Ames
Dave Theobald, Colorado State University
Ecological Conditions of US National Parks: Enabling Ecological Conditions of US National Parks: Enabling Decision Support Through Monitoring, Analysis, and Decision Support Through Monitoring, Analysis, and
ForecastingForecasting
Background:
The US NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program is developing scientifically sound information on the status and trends of national park condition.
NASA products can substantially enhance the success of the NPS I&M effort.
Our goal is to integrate the routine acquisition and analysis of NASA products and other data into the NPS I&M Program.
Ecological Conditions of US National Parks: Enabling Ecological Conditions of US National Parks: Enabling Decision Support Through Monitoring, Analysis, and Decision Support Through Monitoring, Analysis, and
ForecastingForecasting
1) Identify NASA data products and other satellite-derived data products useful to park monitoring.
2) Delineate the boundaries of the park-centered ecosystems appropriate for monitoring.
3) Develop indicators from the Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System (TOPS) and other sources. Add value to these data sets for understanding change through analysis and forecasting.
4) Deliver these products and a means to integrate them into the NPS I&M decision support framework.
Objectives
NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program Networks
NPS I&M CollaboratorsNPS I&M Collaborators
Rocky Mountain
Yosemite
Delaware Water Gap
National Park Service Ownership
Focal Parks
Yellowstone and Grand
Teton
GRYN NetworkTom Olliff,
Cathy Jean, Rob Daily
SIEN NetworkLinda Mutch,
Bill Kuhn Alice Chung-MacCubrey
ROMO NetworkMike Britten
Billy Schweiger, Mike Story
ERMN NetworkMatthew
Marshall, Leslie Morelock,
Paul Hansen
Objective 1: IndicatorsObjective 1: Indicators
Objective 2: Protected Area Centered Ecosystems (PACEs)Objective 2: Protected Area Centered Ecosystems (PACEs)
Park-centered ecosystems were delineated using scientific criteria based on NASA products. These ecosystems are locations of high priority for monitoring, reporting, research, and collaborative management.
Objective 3: Product Development and Analysis: Objective 3: Product Development and Analysis: Climate Change Impacts Climate Change Impacts
Understanding climate change impacts is a high priority for NPS. Forecasts of climate change impacts from TOPS show reductions in snow water equivalent and ecosystem productivity for Yosemite National Park. These simulations increased NPS understanding of the potential rates of climate change impacts and implications for park management.
Predicted reductions in snow water equivalent and mean gross primary productivity in Yosemite from simulations using TOPS.
The TOPS Data Gateway for NPS summarizes indicators of potential climate change impacts derived from NASA satellites and models, including measures of shifts in vegetation phenology and trends in ecosystem productivity. The Data Gateway allows NPS to monitor for emerging patterns and trends within different ecosystem and land cover types.
Nemani et al. 2008. Rem. Sens. Env. 113
The richness of stream benthic taxa provides an indication of how
residential development is impacting the watersheds containing the parks.
Red = low / badGreen = high / good
Current and Predicted Urbanization
Using maps of future urbanization provided by this project and produced
with NASA data, NPS managers are managing to minimize future impact of development on park aquatic natural
resources .
The Upper Delaware Scenic River & Delaware Water Gap National Park
(shown in green above) are surrounded by lands experiencing increased residential development, which influences park management.
Objective 3: Product Development and Analysis: Objective 3: Product Development and Analysis: Land Use Change Impacts Land Use Change Impacts
Objective 3: Product Development and Analysis: Objective 3: Product Development and Analysis: Landscape DynamicsLandscape Dynamics
Connectivity of Natural LandscapesWhat: Measures the connectivity of natural
landscapes Why: Movement of plants & animals and
ecological processes connect to adjacent landscapes beyond the park boundary
Stressors: Land use change, climate changeExample: YOSE is situated on a pathway that
provides greater than average connectivity (compared nationwide) and serves as a key location of connectivity along the Sierra range.
Patterns of Natural Landscapes
What: Measures the natural landscape context
Why: Movement of plants & animals and ecological processes connect to adjacent landscapes beyond the park boundary
Stressors: Land use change, climate change
Example: DEWA scores higher than its ecoregion, but is declining from 0.6811 in 1992 to 0.6631 in 2001 to 0.6123 in 2030.
Theobald et al., 2010. Landscape Ecol
Habitat Connectivity across the
Northeastern United States
Connectivity and Patch habitat importance change as urbanization expands
and climate change alters habitat suitability..
Goetz et al. 2009, USGCRP OCP 2010
Objective 4: Deliver Products and a Means to Integrate into Objective 4: Deliver Products and a Means to Integrate into NPS I&M Decision Support FrameworkNPS I&M Decision Support Framework
• Methods – Standard Operating Procedure Manuals, ArcGIS plugins
• Data – Compiled within TOPS, ArcGIS geodatabases
• Stories - Interpretation of trends and interactions. Developed with NPS collaborators in a series of 3 conference calls.
• Summaries – Written synthesis documents for each network, e.g., Resource Briefs and Indicator Summaries
• Delivery - Web-services based interface (Ecocast), NPS web site, ArcServer
• Assessment – Satisfaction surveys with collaborators at midpoint and end of project.
Schedule: The project will be completed by the end of 2010
TOPS Data GatewayTOPS Data Gateway
• Browser-based, open source (ka-Map / Geoserver) data gateway
• Rapid data access, visualization, query, and analysis
• Supports timeseries plots, data queries
• FTP, WMS, WCS, OPeNDAP data access
• Direct access to metadata
Pan / zoom / query
Location / data value at cursor
Select date / layers
PALMS NPS Web SitePALMS NPS Web Site
PALMS NPS Web SitePALMS NPS Web Site
Key Accomplishments
• Successful development and application of ecological data products from NASA satellites and ecosystem models to support NPS I&M objectives.
• Mapping of the areas around parks that are of high priority for monitoring, research, and collaborative management.
• Analysis of changes in park conditions based on ecological hindcasts and forecasts, such as in habitat connectivity under past, current, and potential future climate and land use.
• Establishment of direct collaborations between NASA scientists and NPS scientists and managers.Testimonials“The approach taken to address land use change, connectivity, and climate were certainly novel, and will be highly valuable”. Stacey Ostermann-Kelm Greater Yellowstone Network
“Overall this seems like a very useful effort that can benefit the four parks and the NPS as a whole”. Mike Britten, Rocky Mountain Network
Contributions to NPS Decision SupportContributions to NPS Decision Support
Examples of Applications
•In SIEN Network, TOPS forecasts of potential ecosystem response to climate change were used to inform fire management strategies.
•The ERMN Network adapted the protocols for monitoring stream biota that were developed in this project.
•The GRYN Network is using results of land use change and biodiversity consequences to help formulate the Yellowstone Science Agenda.
•PALMS products on connectivity and PACEs were proposed for use by the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative.