Updating land cover automatically based on change detection using satellite images: case study of national forests in Southern California

Observing dynamic change patterns and higher-order complexities from remotely sensed images is warranted, but the main challenges include image inconsistency, plant phenological differences, weather variations, and difficulties of incorporating natural conditions into automatic image processing. In this study, we proposed a new algorithm and demonstrated it by producing 2002–2008 and 2010 land-cover maps in heterogeneous Southern California based on an existing 2009 land-cover map. The new algorithm improves the baseline land-cover map quality by discarding potential bad land-cover pixels and dividing each land-cover type into several subclasses. Time series Landsat images were used to detect changed and unchanged areas between baseline year and target year t. Subsequently, for each individual year t, each pixel that was identified as unchanged inherited the baseline classification. Otherwise, each pixel in the changed areas was classified by a similar surrogate majority classifier. The demonstration results in Southern California showed that the land-cover temporal pattern captured the observed successional stages of the ecosystem very well. The accuracy assessment had an overall classification accuracies ranging from 81% to 86% and overall kappa coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.83.     

Electrical resistance tomography experiments at the Oregon Graduate Institute

Three controlled experiments were conducted at the Oregon Graduate Institute (OGI) with the purpose of evaluating electrical resistance tomography for imaging underground processes associated with in-situ site assessment and remediation. The OGI facilities are unique: a double-wall tank 10 m square and 5 m deep, filled with river bottom sediments and instrumented for geophysical and hydrological studies. At this facility, liquid contaminants could be released into the confined soil at a scale sufficiently large to represent real-world physical phenomena.In the first test, images of electrical resistivity were made before and during a controlled spill of gasoline into a sandy soil. The primary purpose was to determine if electrical resistivity images could detect the hydrocarbon in either the vadose or saturated zone. Definite changes in electrical resistivity were observed in both the vadose and saturated soils. The effects were an increase in resistivity of as much as 10% above pre-release values. A single resistive anomaly was imaged, directly below the release point, principally within the vadose zone but extending below the phreatic surface. The anomaly remained identifiable in tomograms taken two days after the release ended with clear indications of lateral spreading along the water table.The second test involved electrical resistance measurements before, during, and after air sparging in a saturated soil. The primary purpose was to determine if the electrical images could be used to detect and delineate the extent of the zone influenced by sparging. The images showed an increase of about 20% in resistivity over background values within the sparged zone and the extent of the imaged zone agreed with that inferred from other information.Electrical resistivity tomography measurements were made under a simulated oil storage tank in the third test. Comparison of images taken before and during separate releases of brine and water showed effects of changes induced by the water or brine. The simulated leak and its location were imaged as a conductive anomaly centered near the point of origin and were observed to spread with time during the release.     

Women Agricultural Landowners—Past Time to Put Them “On the Radar”

While women own 25% of the acres rented out for farming, little has been done in terms of federal policy that focuses on these women. In this policy analysis, we detail how (1) lack of data on these women landowners and (2) the invisibility of these women to federal natural resource and agricultural agency staff contribute to women nonoperating landowners (WNOLs) not being on the federal policy radar. We discuss how the persistence of these factors continues to marginalize WNOLs in federal agricultural policy, despite the mandate of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies to be serving underserved populations such as WNOLs. Our study findings clearly illustrate a critical point: federal agricultural/conservation agencies are not fulfilling their mandate to reach WNOLs. Using data from USDA Production Regions in the United States, we detail how WNOLs are marginalized and provide specific policy recommendations to allow for intentional inclusion of these women.     

Magnetic characterization of Cretaceous‐Tertiary boundary sediments

Abstract— Rock magnetic properties across several K‐T boundary sections have been investigated to reveal any possible magnetic signature associated with the remains of the impact event at the end of the Cretaceous. Studied sections' locations vary in distance to the Chicxulub structure from distal (Agost and Caravaca, Spain), through closer (ODP Hole 1049A, Blake Nose, North Atlantic), to proximal (El Mimbral and La Lajilla, Mexico). A clear magnetic signature is associated with the fireball layer in the most distal sections, consisting of a sharp increase in susceptibility and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), and a decrease in remanence coercivity. Magnetic properties in these sections point to a distinctive ferrimagnetic phase, probably corresponding to the reported Mg‐ and Ni‐rich, highly oxidized spinels of meteoritic origin. At closer and proximal sections magnetic properties are different. Although there is an increase in susceptibility and SIRM associated with a rusty layer placed on top of the siliciclastic deposit in proximal sections, and with a similar limonitic layer on top of the spherule bed that defines the boundary at Blake Nose, the magnetic properties indicate a mixture of iron oxyhydroxides dominated by fine‐grained goethite. Based on previous geochemical studies at Blake Nose and new geochemical and PGE abundance measurements performed in this work at El Mimbral, this goethite‐rich layer can be interpreted as an effect of diagenetic remobilization and precipitation of Fe. There is not enough evidence to assert that this Fe concentration layer at proximal sections is directly related to deposition of fine meteoritic material. Magnetic, geochemical, and iridium data reject it as a primary meteoritic phase.     

A conceptual framework for the integral management of marine protected areas

A general conceptual framework for the management of marine protected areas (MPAs) was developed. The driver-pressure-state-impacts-response (DPSIR) framework was used to determine the elements affecting MPAs. The developed evaluation framework helped to select an appropriate suite of indicators to support an ecosystem approach, an assessment of the MPAs functioning and policy decisions. Gaps derived from the management and policy responses in the MPAs were also outlined. It was concluded that the DPSIR framework can help to simplify the complexity of MPA management. This document is a tool for policy makers, scientists and general public on the relevance of indicators to monitor changes and MPAs management.     

Structurally controlled fluid flow during contact metamorphism in the Ritter Range pendant, California, USA

The mineralogy and O-isotope geochemistry of siliceous limestones from the Ritter Range pendant constrain the geometry and amount of fluid flow during contact metamorphism associated with emplacement of a pluton of the Sierra Nevada Batholith. Wollastonite (Wo) replaces calcite (Cal) + quartz (Qtz) on a layer-by-layer basis in homoclinal beds that strike NW and dip almost vertically. At the peak of metamorphism (P≈ 1500 bars, T≈ 600 °C) fluid in equilibrium with Cal, Qtz, and Wo has composition XCO₂=0.28, requiring that the Wo-forming reaction was driven by infiltration of reactive H₂O-rich fluid. The spatial distribution of Wo and Cal + Qtz records that peak metamorphic fluid flow was layer-parallel, upward. Bounds on the prograde time-integrated fluid flux associated with formation of Wo are set by: (1) the overlap in O-isotope composition between Wo-bearing and Wo-free rocks (>245 mol fluid/cm² rock); (2) the amount of fluid that would drive the Wo-reaction front upward to the present level of exposure from a point at depth where Cal, Qtz, and Wo would be in equilibrium with pure CO₂ (<1615 mol/cm²). Back-reaction of Wo to Cal + Qtz records an additional time-integrated retrograde fluid flux of ≈ 200–1000 mol/cm². The direction and amount of flow inferred from mineralogical and isotopic data agree with the results of the hydrologic model for metamorphic fluid flow in the area of Hanson et al. (1993). Fingers of Wo-bearing rock that extend farthest from the fluid source along contacts between limestone and more siliceous rocks point to strong control of flow geometry at the 0.1–100 m scale exerted by premetamorphic structures. Studies that neglect structural control at this scale may fail to predict correctly fundamental aspects of contact metamorphic fluid flow. Received: 27 January 1997 / Accepted: 2 October 1997     

Interpretation of aeromagnetic data of Idah area in north central Nigeria using combined methods

Aeromagnetic data of Idah area (sheet 267), north-central Nigeria, has been interpreted by applying source parameter imaging (SPI), Euler deconvolution and forward and inverse modeling methods. Quantitatively, depth estimates obtained by employing SPI have shown minimum to maximum depth to anomalous source at 57.591m to 664.841m. Applying Euler deconvolution for various structural indices (SI), the depth obtained for SI=1, ranges from 5.6m to 197.6m, 22.0m to 204.7m for SI=2 and for SI=3, the depth to magnetic source obtained ranges from 38.0m to 205.5m. The results from forward and inverse modeling for profiles 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 indicate depths of 95.6m, 103.9m, 477.5m, 1239.8m and 76.8m respectively. From the results of susceptibility values; the result obtained from profile 1 with susceptibility value of -0.0175 suggests that the body is associated with non-magnetic sedimentary deposits. Profile 2 with a susceptibility value of 0.07 is typical of basic igneous rock; gabbro and basalts. The results for profiles 3, 4 and 5 having susceptibility values of 0.01 to 0.013 are typical of intermediate igneous rocks; diorite and andesite.     

Measuring ecological change of aquatic macrophytes in Mediterranean rivers

A metric was developed for assessing anthropogenic impacts on aquatic macrophyte ecology by scoring macrophyte species along the main gradient of community change. A measure of ecological quality was then calculated by Weighted Averaging (WA) of these species scores at a monitoring site, and comparison to a reference condition score. This metric was used to illustrate the difficulties of developing aquatic macrophyte indices based on indicator species in Mediterranean rivers. The response of the metric to a nutrient gradient was examined within two different river typologies: the national typology designed for the Water Framework Directive and a typology that segregates the environmental variables to produce maximum species similarity within a river type. Both typologies showed the strong north-south climatic divide in Portugal, with southern rivers having long periods without rainfall and often without flowing water in the summer. Overall, the metric responded well to nutrient impacts however it performed poorly in some southern lowland river types. This was thought to be due to low numbers of aquatic macrophytes in temporary rivers. Non-aquatic species that establish in the river channel of temporary rivers may have to be included in indices to improve performance. Also, simple Weighted Averaging (WA) metrics may be insensitive to abundance changes and loss of rarer indicators in lowland Mediterranean rivers. More sophisticated methods of using WA are suggested, as well as further research into developing assessment methods specific to the character of Mediterranean rivers.