VEGETATION MAPPING AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEEKING REPEATABLE MEASUREMENT

NATIONAL MILITARYFISH & WILDLIFEASSOCIATION

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Jonathan DunnAECOM

Vegetation Mapping and Wildlife HabitatOutline of Presentation

1. How is a fine-scale vegetation map useful to the Wildlife Manager?

2. How are fine-scale vegetation maps typically produced?

3. How do methods for fine-scale and broad-scale mapping differ?

4. How can these methods be used for monitoring habitats and detecting change?

Vegetation Mapping and Wildlife HabitatConcepts

An accurate and sufficiently attributed vegetation map is a fundamentally useful base analysis layer for wildlife management

Minimum attribution should include finest level of vegetation classification possible (Group < Alliance < Association) and additional compositional and structural characteristics (cover density, heterogeneity, height, etc)

But “sufficient” attribution should also consider the habitat requirements and ecologies of the management species

Vegetation Mapping and Wildlife HabitatLocating Survey Areas and Quantifying Effort

Vegetation Mapping and Wildlife HabitatLocating Survey Areas and Quantifying Effort

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

NVCS HierarchyHierarchy Level CriteriaUpper: Physiognomy plays a predominant role. L1 – Formation

Classroad combinations of general dominant growth forms that are

adapted to basic temperature (energy budget), moisture, and substrate/aquatic conditions.

L2 - Formation Subclass

Combinations of general dominant and diagnostic growth forms that reflect global macroclimatic factors driven primarily by latitude and continental position, or that reflect overriding substrate/aquatic conditions.

L3 – Formation Combinations of dominant and diagnostic growth forms that reflect global macroclimatic factors as modified by altitude, seasonality of precipitation, substrates, and hydrologic conditions.

Middle: Floristics and physiognomy play predominant roles

L4 – Division Combinations of dominant and diagnostic growth forms and a broad set of diagnostic plant species that reflect biogeographic differences in composition and continental differences in mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes.

L5 – Macrogroup

Combinations of moderate sets of diagnostic plant species and diagnostic growth forms, that reflect biogeographic differences in composition and sub-continental to regional differences in mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes.

L6 – Group Combinations of relatively narrow sets of diagnostic plant species (including dominants and co-dominants), broadly similar composition, and diagnostic growth forms that reflect regional mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology and disturbance regimes.

Lower: Floristics plays a predominant role L7 – Alliance Diagnostic species, including some from the dominant growth form or

layer, and moderately similar composition that reflect regional to subregional climate, substrates, hydrology, moisture/nutrient factors, and disturbance regimes.

L8 – Association Diagnostic species, usually from multiple growth forms or layers, and more narrowly similar composition that reflect topo-edaphic climate, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes.

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Habitats include:annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, and Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%)

with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain.(USFWS, 1997)

Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi)

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Habitats include:annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, and Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%)

with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain.(USFWS, 1997)

Vegetation map

NVCS Alliance

Association

Vegetation mapPercent Cover

By Stratum

SoilsNRCS Soil Series

Topography

USGS DEMOthers

Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi)

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Habitats include:annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, and Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%)

with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain.(USFWS, 1997)

Vegetation map

NVCS Alliance

Association

Vegetation mapPercent Cover

By Stratum

SoilsNRCS Soil Series

Topography

USGS DEMOthers

Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi)

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Habitats include:annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, and Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%)

with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain.(USFWS, 1997)

Vegetation map

NVCS Alliance

Association

Vegetation mapPercent Cover

By Stratum

SoilsNRCS Soil Series

Topography

USGS DEMOthers

Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi)

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Habitats include:annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, and Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%)

with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain.(USFWS, 1997)

Vegetation map

NVCS Alliance

Association

Vegetation mapPercent Cover

By Stratum

SoilsNRCS Soil Series

Topography

USGS DEMOthers

Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi)

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Habitats :Prefers vegetation dominated byEriogonum fasciculatum andArtemisia californica

Disfavors vegetation dominated bySalvia mellifera, and Malosma laurina

Typical habitat structure is openwith shrub cover range of 25 – 40%

Disfavors vegetation greater than 2 meters

Vegetation map

NVCS Alliance

Association

Vegetation mapDensity of Cover

By Stratum

Vegetation map Vegetation Height

By Stratum

California gnatcather (Polioptila californica)

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

Habitats :Prefers vegetation dominated byEriogonum fasciculatum andArtemisia californica

Disfavors vegetation dominated bySalvia mellifera, and Malosma laurina

Nests almost exclusively in Opuntia littoralis, O. oricola, and Cylindropuntia prolifera

Vegetation map

NVCS Alliance

Association

Coastal cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology

• Prepare (or adopt) a Vegetation Classification– Collect quantitative environmental data in the form of Rapid

Assessments (or Relevés)– Conduct statistical analysis of dataset to form basis for

classifications (ordination)– Define the qualitative and quantitative descriptions

(membership rules)• Define mapping rules – How to spatially apply themes• Field map to begin delineating stands of vegetation • Complete work through heads up digitization in lab • Conduct accuracy assessment of final map

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Calibration

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Data Collection

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Data Analysis

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Quantitative Descriptions

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Field Mapping

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Office Mapping

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Data Management

Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Accuracy Assessment

Vegetation MappingFine-scale >< Broad-scale

Typically performed by botanists and vegetation ecologists (The Natural Sciences Department)

Typically performed by geographers (The Physical

Sciences Department)

Typically hand-drawn over high resolution 3 or 4 band

imagery

Typically computer generated from low resolution >4 band

imageryAlmost exclusively vector

basedAlmost exclusively raster

basedEven with rules, its subtleties

can be fairly subjective Even with algorithms , its

subtleties can be difficult to interpret

Difficult to sequentially compare

(see above)

Easy to sequentially compare

(see above)

Change Detection MappingSubtleties of Interpretation

Change Detection Mapping

Change Detection MappingImage Classification

Change Detection MappingHybrid Approach

Change Detection MappingAdvances in Remote Sensing and Classification

• Intellectual Advances• Sub-pixel analysis• Object-based image analysis

• Technological Advances• Increased resolution• Improving cost curve• Increase sampling frequency• Collection of multiple phenologies

Change Detection MappingAdvances in Remote Sensing and Classification

Jonathan Dunn AECOM San Diego, California