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Maximum NDVI Percent change 1982-2008 Bhatt et al. (2010), Earth Interactions, 14: 1-20.
across the Bathurst Caribou Range Carolyn Bonta & Robin Mennell - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
across the Bathurst Caribou Range Carolyn Bonta & Robin Mennell - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Vegetation Productivity & Phenology across the Bathurst Caribou Range Carolyn Bonta & Robin Mennell Queens University, Kingston ON 1 A Changing Arctic Climate 2 Maximum NDVI Percent change 1982-2008 Bhatt et al. (2010), Earth
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HIGH in dense vegetation LOW in sparse areas
(NIR – Red) (Red – NIR) NDVI =
Vegetation Productivity
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Tremblay et al. 2012. Env Res Lett 7: 035501. Fraser et al. (2011), Env Res Lett 6: 045502
What’s Happening ‘On the Ground’? 4
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Bathurst Caribou Herd
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- GNWT. 2018. Draft Bathurst Caribou Range Plan.
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Bathurst Caribou Herd
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Figure 1. Estimates of Bathurst caribou population size and number of breeding female from 1986 – 2105. Figure 2. A conceptual scientific model of factors affecting barren-ground caribou and their habitat, and effects on population.
- GNWT. 2018. Draft Bathurst Caribou Range Plan.
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Hypothesis
A change in the structure, composition and/or growth of vegetation in response to climate change is responsible for the decline of the Bathurst caribou herd.
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Project Objectives
- 1. Map and analyze changes in ecosystem
productivity and phenology using satellite remote sensing
- 2. Link these changes to field conditions using
dendrochronology
- 3. Assess linkages with changes in herd
distribution and habitat use with geospatial analysis
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AVHRR MODIS LANDSAT Hyperspatial (various) NDVI Spatial Resolution (m) 1000 (but effectively 8000) 250 30 <4 Revisit Time 1.5 days 1 day 16 days <3 days (pointable) Available since 1981 2000 1982
- ca. 2000
Image Size (km) 2400 x 6400 1100 x 1100 170 x 180 <10 x 10 Cost per image $0 $0 $0 >$2000
Common NDVI Products
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Challenge of Revisit Time…
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Dendrochronology
- Q. Why not just use satellite imagery?
A.Without field sampling, we don’t know what is actually changing
- Woody vegetation could be encroaching into
tundra or increasing in density; or pre-existing vegetation could be growing more
- Growth ring analysis permits assessment of
these over the lifetime of the tree or shrub
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MacKay Lake NDVI Trends
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Research Expedition
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Research Expedition
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Site Sampling Objectives
- 1. Vegetation
characterization
- 2. Shrub stem analysis
- 3. Shrub dendrochronology
Tree dendrochronology
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Vegetation Characterization
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Shrub Stem Analysis
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Shrub Dendrochronology
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Shrub Dendrochronology
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Tree Dendrochronology
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Caribou Movement and Migration
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Photo’s taken from Environment and Natural Resources NWT
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Belt Transects
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This is Project #187 of the Government of the Northwest Territories Department
- f Environment and Natural Resources Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program.