Monitoring Australian Rangeland Sites Using Landscape Function Indicators and Ground- and Remote-Based Techniques

If the goal for managing rangelands is to achieve a balance between production and conservation, then monitoring is essential to detect change and apply corrective action. In some range-land areas of northern Australia, monitoring has detected a tilt in the production-conservation balance towards excessive production. How big is this imbalance? Can it shift back? Robust monitoring is needed to answer these questions. The aim is to know what to monitor, and where. For example, to detect changes caused by livestock on rangeland forage production and soil erosion, indicators linking grazing disturbances to landscape function are needed, that is, indicators that signal how well landscapes are capturing, concentrating, and utilizing scarce water, nutrient, and organic resources. Studies in Australia and the USA document that simple vegetation and soil patch attributes can be measured as indicators of the 'state of health' of landscape function. For example, field and remote sensing-based grazing studies in Australia document that landscapes with a high cover of perennial plant patches function effectively to capture runoff water and nutrients in sediments, whereas landscapes with a low cover of these patches do not — they are dysfunctional — as indicated by large patches of bare soil. Aerial videography is proving to be a robust technique for measuring indicators of landscape function such as small patches of vegetation and the extent of bare soil. These indicators typically have a sigmoidal response to grazing impacts. We illustrate that if these indicators are measured on monitoring sites established near the sigmoidal 'point of inflection’ then small changes in these indicators can be detected.     

Montane Meadows as Indicators of Environmental Change

We used a time series of satellite multispectral imagery for mapping and monitoring six classes of montane meadows arrayed along a moisture gradient (from hydric to mesic to xeric). We hypothesized that mesic meadows would support the highest species diversity of plants, birds, and butterflies because they are more moderate environments. We also hypothesized that mesic meadows would exhibit the greatest seasonal and interannual variability in spectral response across years. Field sampling in each of the meadow types was conducted for plants, birds, and butterflies in 1997 and 1998. Mesic meadows supported the highest plant species diversity, but there was no significant difference in bird or butterfly species diversity among meadow types. These data show that it may be easier to detect significant differences in more species rich taxa (e.g., plants) than taxa that are represented by fewer species (e.g., butterflies and birds). Mesic meadows also showed the greatest seasonal and interannual variability in spectral response. Given the rich biodiversity of mesic montane meadows and their sensitivity to variations in temperature and moisture, they may be important to monitor in the context of environmental change     

Monitoring urban growth and detecting land-cover changes on the Istanbul metropolitan area

Istanbul is the most populated city of Turkey with a population of around 10.58 M (2000) living on around 5,750 km². In 1980, the population was only 4.7 M and then it has been more than doubled in only two decades. The population has been increasing as a result of mass immigration. An urbanization process continues and it causes serious increases in urban areas while decreasing the amount of green areas. This rapid, uncontrolled, and illegal urbanization accompanied by insufficient infrastructure has caused degradation of forest and barren lands in the metropolitan area, especially through the last two decades. The watershed basins inside the metropolitan area and the transportation network have accelerated the land-cover changes, which have negative impacts on water quality of the basins. Monitoring urban growth and land cover change will enable better management of this complex urban area by the Greater Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (GIMM). A temporal assessment of land-cover changes of Istanbul has been documented in this study. The study mainly focuses on the acquisition and analysis of Landsat TM and Landsat GeoCover LC satellite images reflecting the significant land-cover changes between the years of 1990 and 2005. Raster data were converted to vector data and used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A database was created for Istanbul metropolitan area to plan, manage, and utilize statistical attribute data covering population, water, forest, industry, and topographic position. Consequently an overlay analysis was carried out and land use/cover changes through years have been detected for the case study area. The capability of Landsat images in determining the alterations in the macro form of the city are also discussed.     

湖泊富营养化遥感监测研究进展

通过对近年来国内外应用遥感技术对湖泊富营养化监测及评价的研究情况进行了广泛的收集和分析,简述了湖泊富营养化遥感监测的基本原理,总结了湖泊富营养化多光谱遥感与高光谱遥感成果,提出了今后的重点研究方向.     

太湖蓝藻水华时空分布与预警监测响应的分析

选择2007和2008年200幅EOS/MODIS太湖蓝藻监测遥感影像,统计分析了梅梁湾、竺山湾宜兴段、贡湖湾、东太湖胥口湾和湖州方向湖体蓝藻水华爆发的空间和时间分布规律。并在得出全太湖蓝藻水华空间和时间分布规律的基础上,从环境监测部门蓝藻预警监测工作的实际出发,将蓝藻水华预警监测的响应划分为常规监测和应急监测,提出了具体的监测要求,为环太湖地区的相关部门更好地开展蓝藻预警监测工作提供了科学依据。     

基于TM资料对上海区域热环境特征的分析

为了揭示城市热岛(UHI)形成机制,以TM卫星遥感资料为主要数据源,结合地面自动气象站(AWS)实测的气象资料,利用地表能量平衡参数化(SEBAL)的方法估算了净辐射通量和土壤热通量,分析了上海区域热环境特征.结果表明,TM地表温度与AWS实测地表温度具有较好的一致性;不同类型地表其地表温度差异明显,城市道路是城市中重要热量来源,绿地和水体面积的增加能有效地减轻城市热岛强度,同时也表明了卫星遥感资料在城市气候环境研究中的潜在价值.     

南通市生态环境遥感监测及其动态变化研究

应用遥感技术对南通市生态环境进行监测,利用GIS技术对遥感监测结果进行解译与分析,同时对2006-2009年南通市生态环境时空动态变化进行了分析与评价.结果表明,南通市生态环境类型以耕地、水域和城乡、工矿、居民用地为主,未利用土地面积极小.其生态环境动态变化的主要特点是耕地面积普遍有小幅度减少,以城镇建设用地为主的城乡、工矿、居民用地增加较多,林地面积无明显变化;未利用土地面积有所减少,以盐碱地面积减少为主,减少的面积主要用于耕地和建设用地.     

基于环境一号卫星的PM2.5浓度遥感反演研究

2014年12月29—30日,青岛市发生了一次空气污染过程,利用环境一号卫星CCD遥感影像数据和实测PM_(2.5)浓度数据,分析了该过程前后5 d的实测PM_(2.5)浓度与环境一号卫星CCD遥感影像的DN值之间的相关性,分别按日期和区域建立了反演模型。结果表明,按日期拟合反演模型相关系数为0.02~0.51,按区域拟合反演模型相关系数为0.01~0.80,总体来说,区域拟合结果较好。     

基于Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI遥感大数据分析南京市1984—2015年大气能见度变化趋势

对南京市1984—2015年Landsat 4／5／7／8卫星TM／ETM＋／OLI传感器获取的遥感数据,利用ENVI遥感软件的FLAASH大气校正模块,进行了区域大气能见度（ VIS）遥感反演。结果表明,时间跨度达30余年的Landsat卫星遥感数据影像序列反演的VIS呈明显的下降趋势,20世纪80年代数值较高,“差”能见度（＜10 km）的观测率不到6％,21世纪以来VIS下降明显,“差”能见度的观测率为20％～25％。与2010—2015年南京市PM10、PM2．5监测数据进行了对比,在城市空气清洁及污染较轻时,星地监测结果有较好的一致性,但中到重污染天气时FLAASH算法反演VIS偏高,侧重于代表离主城区距离远的偏远乡野山林地区的能见度状况。     

基于环境卫星CCD数据的黄海浒苔遥感监测

2007年以来,黄海海域每年夏季都发生大面积浒苔绿藻潮,影响沿岸人民的生活、生产。考虑到其分布范围动则几千、上万平方公里,水面监测很难实施,尝试利用遥感技术对其分布和发展变化情况进行监测。基于中国自主产权的环境卫星(HJ1)数据,采用经典植被指数算法和人工辅助判读方法,对2013年黄海浒苔暴发全过程进行了连续遥感监测,分析了此次浒苔过程的分布和漂移路线。监测结果表明,浒苔绿藻潮首发于江苏盐城东部海域,由南向北逐渐漂移,面积逐渐扩大,结束于青岛东北部海域;该期间,浒苔最大覆盖面积达663.54平方公里。