Protocol for monitoring landscape dynamics in the Mediterranean Coast Network of southern California

Willis, Katherine; Osterman-Kelm, Stacey; Federico, Felicia; Lee, Lena; MacDonald, Glen; Gillespie, Thomas

This protocol describes the application of remote sensing data collected via satellites to monitor changes in the landscape within three park units in the Mediterranean Coast Network of southern California (hereafter referred to as MEDN): Cabrillo National Monument, Channel Islands National Park, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Because southern California has a particularly high level of biodiversity in combination with high levels of existing and increasing human impact, it is both a challenge and a necessity to provide adequate monitoring in order to effectively conserve the area. The effects of humans via land use change and development are the largest and most direct impacts. Other significant forces shaping the landscape in this network include the introduction and spread of invasive species, changes in the local fire regimes, climate change, and light pollution. These forces in combination with the natural ecosystem dynamics form a complex system of landscape dynamics over the southern California region. The protocol addresses three primary variables: land use / land cover and vegetation change, phenology, and light pollution. Land cover and vegetation communities will be compared to 1986 and 2001 baseline data to identify significant changes in land cover and vegetation extent at a 30 m pixel resolution (SOP 1). Phenology and vegetation metrics for the three parks as well as vegetation types and areas of concern will be used to identify changes since 2001 at a 250 m pixel resolution (SOP 2). Time series of light pollution data will be analyzed to identify changes in light population compared to a 1992 baseline at 1 km pixel resolution (SOP 3). The output data will include maps, tables, and graphs describing the distribution and changes in these variables. The ongoing satellite data employed for this protocol include: Landsat ETM+/TM, MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). As part of a baseline study of land use and land cover/vegetation change, satellite data was calibrated and verified using vegetation type boundaries created from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Program (GAP). Validation points for land cover and vegetation classes were selected using a Generalized Random Tessellation Stratification (GRTS) method, examined in the field, and used to assess classification accuracy. The monitoring and reporting outlined in this protocol will be conducted at 3-5 year intervals, at which time a contractor will work with National Park Service (NPS) staff to compile and assess past years changes at requested intervals with the Landsat, MODIS, and DMSP imagery using the following software applications or programming languages: ENvironment for Visualizing Images (ENVI), Interactive Data Language (IDL), and ArcGIS. This protocol contains examples of the summaries, statistics, and maps that will build upon the baseline reports for this protocol in future years. The example data shown in this protocol are taken from the three baseline studies conducted as part of developing and testing this protocol. A benefit of satellite-based monitoring is that standard monitoring interval does not preclude going back and examining imagery at other time intervals if required to provide information on periods of particularly rapid change.

Protocol for monitoring landscape dynamics in the Mediterranean Coast Network of southern California

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