scholarly journals Vegetation monitoring using multispectral sensors – best practices and lessons learned from high latitudes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob J Assmann ◽  
Jeffrey T Kerby ◽  
Andrew M Cunliffe ◽  
Isla H Myers-Smith

AbstractEmerging drone technologies have the potential to revolutionise ecological monitoring. The rapid technological advances in recent years have dramatically increased affordability and ease of use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and associated sensors. Compact multispectral sensors, such as the Parrot Sequoia (Paris, France) and MicaSense RedEdge (Seattle WA, USA) capture spectrally accurate high-resolution (fine grain) imagery in visible and near-infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, providing supplement to satellite and aircraft-based imagery. Observations of surface reflectance can be used to calculate vegetation indices such as the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for productivity estimates and vegetation classification. Despite the advances in technology, challenges remain in capturing consistently high-quality data, particularly when operating in extreme environments such as the high latitudes. Here, we summarize three years of ecological monitoring with drone-based multispectral sensors in the remote Canadian Arctic. We discuss challenges, technical aspects and practical considerations, and highlight best practices that emerged from our experience, including: flight planning, factoring in weather conditions, and geolocation and radiometric calibration. We propose a standardised methodology based on established principles from remote sensing and our collective field experiences, using the Parrot Sequoia sensor as an example. With these good practises, multispectral sensors can provide meaningful spatial data that is reproducible and comparable across space and time.

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob J. Assmann ◽  
Jeffrey T. Kerby ◽  
Andrew M. Cunliffe ◽  
Isla H. Myers-Smith

Rapid technological advances have dramatically increased affordability and accessibility of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and associated sensors. Compact multispectral drone sensors capture high-resolution imagery in visible and near-infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing for the calculation of vegetation indices, such as the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) for productivity estimates and vegetation classification. Despite the technological advances, challenges remain in capturing high-quality data, highlighting the need for standardized workflows. Here, we discuss challenges, technical aspects, and practical considerations of vegetation monitoring using multispectral drone sensors and propose a workflow based on remote sensing principles and our field experience in high-latitude environments, using the Parrot Sequoia (Pairs, France) sensor as an example. We focus on the key error sources associated with solar angle, weather conditions, geolocation, and radiometric calibration and estimate their relative contributions that can lead to uncertainty of more than ±10% in peak season NDVI estimates of our tundra field site. Our findings show that these errors can be accounted for by improved flight planning, metadata collection, ground control point deployment, use of reflectance targets, and quality control. With standardized best practice, multispectral sensors can provide meaningful spatial data that is reproducible and comparable across space and time.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin K Thayer ◽  
Molly Pam ◽  
Emily Godfrey ◽  
Laura Mentch ◽  
Georgia Brown ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) engages patients as partners in research and focuses on questions and outcomes that are important to patients. Traditionally done in person, COVID-19 has forced PCOR teams to engage via online platforms. Similarly, virtual engagement is the only safe choice for members of the cystic fibrosis (CF) community who spend their lives living under strict infection control guidelines. In the absence of universal best practices, the CF community developed its own guide to help PCOR teams engage virtually. OBJECTIVE To identify the important attributes, facilitators, and barriers to teams when selecting online platforms. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews with CF community members, non-profit stakeholders, and researchers about their experiences using online tools including the effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction with, and confidence using each platform. Interviews conducted via Zoom conferencing were audio recorded and transcribed. We identified key themes using content analysis with an iterative inductive and deductive coding process. RESULTS Fifteen participants reported using online platforms for meetings, project management, document sharing, scheduling, and communication. When selecting online platforms, participants valued accessibility, ease of use, and integration of the platforms with other platforms. Participants thought successful online collaboration utilized platforms that resemble in-person interactions, recognized team member technological literacy levels, provided intentional alignment of platforms with collaboration goals, and achieved team member buy-in to adopt new platforms. CONCLUSIONS Successful online PCOR engagement requires using multiple platforms in order to fully meet the asynchronous or synchronous goals for the project. This study identified key attributes beneficial for conducting PCOR online, as well as common challenges and solutions to using online platforms. Our study findings provide best practices for selecting types of platforms and lessons learned from online PCOR collaborations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-162
Author(s):  
Paul Tudorache ◽  
Lucian Ispas

AbstractUsing the lessons learned from recent military operations such as Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) from Syria and Iraq, we proposed to investigate the need for tactical military units to adapt operationally to grapple with the most common requirements specific to current operational environments, but also for those that can be foreseen in the future. In this regard, by identifying the best practices in the field that can be met at the level of some important armies, such as USA and UK, we will try to determine a common denominator of most important principles whose application may facilitate both operational and organizational adaptation necessary for tactical military units to perform missions and tasks in the most unknown future operational environments.


2021 ◽  
pp. 097340822110125
Author(s):  
Cluny Mendez ◽  
Christopher L. Atkinson

The implementation of sustainability and green public procurement (GPP) initiatives in school districts has been the subject of some debate; questions over definitions and programme goals have led to inconsistency and concerns about programme achievements. The legitimacy of programmes rests not only with the announcement of policy by officials, but with adherence to policy and staff buy-in. This study examines barriers districts face, and makes recommendations based upon district experience on ways to successfully implement sustainability and GPP initiatives. A review of the literature on GPP and legitimacy in the execution of public functions within the education domain begins the study. Major components relative to best practices for GPP programmes are studied through the review of GPP-related documents from a school district in New Jersey considered as an exemplar of such programmes. Analysis of an interview with the district’s representatives suggests that, despite the normative approval such programmes receive, and widespread understanding of the rationale for pursuing such initiatives, there remain critical failings in implementation of these programmes, stemming from education, resourcing of initiatives and prioritization of green procurement in relation to other district priorities. The study concludes with lessons learned from this case, which is important given its positioning within New Jersey as an exemplar and recommendations for future research where work in this area is needed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 118-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Trees

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present enterprise social networking and gamification as two potential tools to help organizations engage Millennial employees in collaboration and learning. Design/methodology/approach – The research provides general descriptions of enterprise social networking and gamification approaches, shares data on adoption of these approaches from APQC’s “2015 Knowledge Management Priorities Data Report” (based on a January 2015 survey of 524 knowledge management professionals) and includes four company examples adapted from APQC’s Connecting People to Content and Transferring and Applying Critical Knowledge best practices studies. The methodology for APQC’s best practices studies involves screening 50 or more organizations with potential best practices in a given research scope area and identifying five or six with proven best practices. APQC then conducts detailed site visits with the selected organizations and publishes case studies based on those site visits. Findings – Enterprise social networking platforms are in place at 50 per cent of organizations, with another 25 per cent planning to implement them by the end of 2015. By providing near-immediate access to information and answers, enterprise social networking helps Millennials learn the ropes at their new workplaces, gives them direct access to more knowledgeable colleagues who can assist and mentor them, and helps them improve their business outcomes by reusing knowledge and lessons learned across projects. Younger workers can also harness the power of social networking to create a sense of belonging and build their reputations in large, dispersed firms, where it is particularly difficult for them to gain visibility. A recent APQC survey indicates that 54 per cent of organizations either currently employ gamification to encourage collaboration or expect to implement it within the next three years. The rush to gamify the enterprise is, at least in part, a reflection of employers’ desire to satisfy Millennials and make them feel connected to a community of co-workers. Although games appeal to a wide range of age groups, Millennials grew up with digital interaction and tend to prefer environments that emphasize teamwork, social learning and frequent feedback – all of which can be delivered through gamification. Originality/value – The value of this paper is to introduce the value of and relationship between enterprise social networking and gamification platforms to human resource (HR) professionals looking to increase engagement and retention rates for Millennial employees.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed A Madan ◽  
Kousha Gohari ◽  
Roberto Vicario ◽  
Heikki A Jutila ◽  
Hesham A Mohammed

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-256
Author(s):  
Ava T. Carcirieri

Academics and practitioners all too often have little or no contact with each other; the practitioner does not know what research exists that can inform their practices, and the academic does not know enough about the institutions they primarily study to make recommendations that are specific enough to inform a concrete practice or policy. I leverage my experiences both as an academic and as a data analyst and domestic violence coordinator at Family Court to outline lessons learned in the field. I detail how my academic training hindered my work as a practitioner, and how practitioners differ in terms of conducting internal research and presenting data and findings. I use my lessons learned and subsequently list several concrete practices that academics can begin to work into their work to increase communication with important stakeholders, and tailor their work to practical systemic improvement. Bridging the gap between academics and practitioners will lead to better research projects, and findings that will be able to actively enact changes within systems that academics focus on.


Author(s):  
Susan Alexander ◽  
Haley Hoy ◽  
Manil Maskey ◽  
Helen Conover ◽  
John Gamble ◽  
...  

The knowledge base for healthcare providers working in the field of organ transplantation has grown exponentially. However, the field has no centralized ‘space’ dedicated to efficient access and sharing of information.The ease of use and portability of mobile applications (apps) make them ideal for subspecialists working in complex healthcare environments. In this article, the authors review the literature related to healthcare technology; describe the development of health-related technology; present their mobile app pilot project assessing the effects of a collaborative, mobile app based on a freely available content manage framework; and report their findings. They conclude by sharing both lessons learned while completing this project and future directions.


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