PROJECTS
Low-tech, process-based restoration (LTPBR) site prioritization along the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River
About This Project
Degraded streams and riparian corridors across the western United States damage ecosystems, increase flow rates and decrease base flows in river and stream beds. Beaver dam analogs have been shown to slow and retain water, effectively reconnecting the stream to the water table. We use a variety of parameters (stream network, relative elevation model, Lidar vegetation map, valley width, stream gradient and channel incision) to prioritize locations for LTPBR implementation across the river corridor.
What is the significance of this project?
Warmer temperatures coupled with an increase in drought conditions pose severe challenges for farmers and ranchers across the American west. Simple, yet effective, LTPBR techniques have the potential to slow and hold water across the landscape, enhancing pasture land while also restoring ecosystem function. Our prioritization methodology allows watershed managers to prioritize locations for LTPBR projects in a cost-effective manner.
Mapping culturally and ecologically important berries from space
About This Project
Berries are a crucial fall resource for a multitude of wildlife species including migratory birds, threatened grizzly bears, black bears, and a variety of small mammals. Berries are also an important socioeconomic and cultural resource for local communities and indigenous populations. We leverage satellite and aerial imagery data within a machine learning framework to develop species-specific maps of shrub distributions along the biologically diverse Rocky Mountain Front.
What is the significance of this project?
Species-specific food source maps are an integral part of any wildlife study. Current best practice assigns food source importance in an ambiguous way, often assigning food source importance based on rough differences in growth form, e.g. grasses vs. trees. Wildlife choose habitat and food in a much more specific way. Dispersing grizzly bears do not view a patch of stunted quaking aspen in the same way they view a patch of huckleberries, serviceberries, or chokecherries. Similarly, in the autumn, migratory waxwings find large caloric differences between juniper berries and the grasses this unique shrub may be labeled as in current landcover maps. The micro-placement of these shrubs on the landscape influences day-to-day wildlife movements perhaps more than any other single variable.
Whitebark pine ghost forests, the polar bear of the
American west
About This Project
Whitebark pine trees are a keystone species in alpine ecosystems across the American west. They have been a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act since 2011. Their seeds’ high caloric content sustain grizzly bears and Clark’s nutcrackers, and the trees modify snowmelt patterns in arid, high-alpine ecosystems. We will map live whitebark pines in Glacier National Park to serve as a baseline for analyzing change over time of “ghost forests”.
What is the significance of this project?
Whitebark pines are a keystone species threatened with extinction and a bellwether for climate change, making them arguably one of the most important species to monitor during our lifetimes. Their remoteness makes monitoring difficult, leaving behind ghost forests with untold stories. Additionally, baseline whitebark pine maps are integral to research on sensitive wildlife species, like grizzly bears and Clark’s nutcrackers, and can help inform rehabilitation efforts. While current grizzly bear and Clark’s nutcracker (although variable) research emphasizes the plasticity of species' diets in response to declining whitebark pine populations, fine-scale mapping of this critical habitat and food source is necessary to fully comprehend the role whitebark pine plays.
Mapping snagfall in the Chilcotin, BC Canada
About This Project
Down trees (snagfall) due to beetle kill affect stand microclimate, hydrological cycles, erosion, fire ecology and wildlife use. Baseline maps of snagfall across the region are lacking, primarily due to the difficulty in accessing vast tracts of remote land. Here, we assess the potential for using remotely sensed data and imagery to create a map of snagfall within the range of three caribou herds in the Chilcotin, BC.
What is the significance of this Project?
A mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) epidemic beginning in the 1990s and strengthening in the early-to-mid 2000s, affected approximately 18.1 million ha of forest in central British Columbia (Rex et al. 2013). Tree mortality rates vary ranging from no impact to complete stand mortality. Snagfall can have a significant effect on the movement of woodland caribou, forcing them to travel in open, unprotected areas frequented by predators such as wolves.
Sage in the Dakotas
About This Project
Sagebrush is considered a keystone species of the steppe ecosystem. It plays a crucial role in western ecology. Here we use multi-temporal, intra-annual Sentinel 2 imagery trained on high resolution UAV imagery to model sage coverage across an area of critical sage grouse habitat in South Dakota.
What is the significance of this Project?
Using an approach such as this allows responsive tracking of sage cover at large scales over time. This information is essential for landscape managers interested in developing long-term approaches aimed towards preserving the steppe ecosystem which serves as a critical winter range for a wide variety of animals such as sage grouse, deer and elk.
Forest Patch Dynamics for Lynx Habitat
About This Project
Lynx were listed as an endangered species in 2016 in Washington State as a result of habitat loss, do in large part to forest fires. Here, we map forest patch dynamics to aid in the understanding of how - and when - lynx use various forest patch types. This layer will be used in habitat and population analyses.
What is the significance of this Project?
As wildfire danger increases across the western United States, it is critical that we better understand the implications this may have for wildlife. If we can gain understanding of how Lynx and other species use a variety of forest patch types, we can use that information to identify forest management approaches that will reduce fire vulnerability and prioritize wildlife habitat.
