Monday, January 26, 2015





Invasive Saltcedar (Tamarisk spp.) Distribution Mapping Using Multiresolution Remote Sensing Imagery


Saltcedar is a type of invasive species that has taken hold in the South and Southwestern United States. It originally came to the United States from Europe and Asia in the early 19th Century. It was brought by early settlers on purpose and by accident.  This research analysis of saltcedar looks at these populations through distribution mapping using multiresolution remote sensing imagery. It was achieved this through two types of analyses. First was five pixel-based classification were used through Quickbird and AISA.  The second analyses were done using Landsat TM imagery. The purpose of this analysis is to determine the distribution and density of saltceder populations in the United States, because of its destructive potential on native ecosystems.  




The results of this analysis showed that one type of process worked better than the other. AISA hyperspectral imagery performed better than other systems at mapping saltcedar populations in the South and Southwest. AISA outperformed Quickbird by roughly 10 percent. That 10 percent is in terms of accuracy of placing saltcedar in the correct place. All of the analyses showed a large distribution of saltcedars in local ecosystems.  This was able to show the best systems for mapping invasive species in the environment.  

Wang, L., Silván-Cárdenas, J. L., Yang, J., & Frazier, A. E. (2013). Invasive Saltcedar (Tamarisk spp.) distribution mapping using multiresolution remote sensing imagery. The Professional Geographer, 65(1), 1-15.

3 comments:

  1. This summary illustrates which software better performed at portraying the distribution and density of the saltcedar population. This is important to note for future analyses of invasive species in order to obtain the most accurate information.

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  2. Using GIS for analysis of invasive species such as the salt cedar is a really good way of tracking the progress of invasive species. The comparison of the processes for imaging to find the best way of mapping the cedars could be helpful in the future to better analyze the cedars as well as other invasive species. As a way of eradicating invasive species, mapping of the populations and locations of the species can be used for other species as well as the salt cedar.

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  3. Invasive species seem to create huge problems in the environment every couple of years, so it is a great use of GIS tools to pinpoint where they are. It is also necessary to note - as Farrell states - that one software performed better than the other. A difference of 10 percent in a situation like this strikes me as fairly crucial in importance.

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