scholarly journals Microhabitat Characteristics of Lapland Longspur, Calcarius lapponicus, Nests at Cape Churchill, Manitoba

2005 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clint W. Boal ◽  
David E. Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
National Park ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Land Cover Type ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Land Cover Types ◽  
Chen Caerulescens ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Pressure Ridge ◽  
Calcarius Lapponicus

We examined microsite characteristics at 21 Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) nests and land cover types in which they occurred in Wapusk National Park, Cape Churchill, Manitoba. Nests were located in four of six physiographic-vegetation land-cover types. Regardless of land-cover type, all but one nest was built on a pressure ridge or mound. Nests were built midway between the bottom and top of ridges or mounds with steeper slopes than was randomly available. Longspur nests had a distinctive southwest orientation (P < 0.001). Longspurs selected nest sites that consisted of comparatively greater amounts of shrub species and lesser amounts of moss than were randomly available. Nests were generally well concealed by vegetation (mean = 67.0%) and concealment was negatively associated with amount of graminoid species at the nest (P = 0.0005). Our nesting habitat data may facilitate a better understanding of breeding Lapland Longspur habitat requirements, and potential impacts of habitat degradation by increasing Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) populations in the study area.

scholarly journals Dynamics of Land Use and Land Cover in the Kafta-Sheraro National Park, NW Ethiopia: Patterns, Causes and Management Implications

1970 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-257
Author(s):  
Arafaine Zenebe ◽  
Asefa Addisu
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Land Cover Change ◽  
National Park ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Population Expansion ◽  
Population Pressure ◽  
Land Cover Types

Kafta-Sheraro National Park (KSNP) is one of the most important protected areas in Ethiopia and provides a number of important ecological and hydrological benefits to the local people. However, the park is under immense pressure as a result of a rapidly increasing human population that resulted from a voluntary resettlement program launched by the government in 2003. Using satellite imageries taken in the years 2003, 2009 and 2015, this study examined patterns of changes in land use/cover throughout the park over a 12 year period (2003 to 2015), during which human population pressure is known to have increased over time and changes in government policies were taken place. The results showed that, over the period of 12 years, wood land experienced the most changeover the study period, with a loss of cover of 862.3 km2 (i.e. from 77.8% coverage of the total park area in 2003 to 38.0% in 2015) at annual rate of 79.3 km2). Conversely, the other land cover types showed increasing pattern, particularly, bush land and agricultural land were increasing at a rate of 44.96 and 18.90 km2 per year, respectively. Overall, the rate of land cover change was higher during the first period (2003 to 2009) compared with the second period (2009 to 2015) for all land use and land cover types, except grass land, suggesting that human impacts were higher following the resettlement program in 2003 and then slowed down following establishment of the park in 2007. The major causes of land cover change in the area were settlement and population expansion, cultivation, fire, mining and grazing. We suggest that better effective park protection systems should be in place to mitigate and restore habitats.

scholarly journals Assessing Land-Cover Effects on Stream Water Quality in Metropolitan Areas Using the Water Quality Index

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3294
Author(s):  
TaeHo Kim ◽  
YoungWoo Kim ◽  
Jihoon Shin ◽  
ByeongGeon Go ◽  
YoonKyung Cha
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Water Quality Index ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Land Cover Type ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Land Cover Types

This study evaluated the influence of different land-cover types on the overall water quality of streams in urban areas. To ensure national applicability of the results, this study encompassed ten major metropolitan areas in South Korea. Using cluster analysis, watersheds were classified into three land-cover types: Urban-dominated (URB), agriculture-dominated (AGR), and forest-dominated (FOR). For each land-cover type, factor analysis (FA) was used to ensure simple and feasible parameter selection for developing the minimum water quality index (WQImin). The chemical oxygen demand, fecal coliform (total coliform for FOR), and total nitrogen (nitrate-nitrogen for URB) were selected as key parameters for all land-cover types. Our results suggest that WQImin can minimize bias in water quality assessment by reducing redundancy among correlated parameters, resulting in better differentiation of pollution levels. Furthermore, the dominant land-cover type of watersheds, not only affects the level and causes of pollution, but also influences temporal patterns, including the long-term trends and seasonality, of stream water quality in urban areas in South Korea.

scholarly journals Comparison of Accuracy of Surface Temperature Images from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Satellite for Precise Thermal Environment Monitoring of Urban Parks Using In Situ Data

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1977
Author(s):  
Dongwoo Kim ◽  
Jaejin Yu ◽  
Jeongho Yoon ◽  
Seongwoo Jeon ◽  
Seungwoo Son
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Urban Park ◽  
Land Cover Type ◽  
Land Cover Types ◽  
Cover Type ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

Rapid urbanization has led to several severe environmental problems, including so-called heat island effects, which can be mitigated by creating more urban green spaces. However, the temperature of various surfaces differs and precise measurement and analyses are required to determine the “coolest” of these. Therefore, we evaluated the accuracy of surface temperature data based on thermal infrared (TIR) cameras mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have recently been utilized for the spatial analysis of surface temperatures. Accordingly, we investigated land surface temperatures (LSTs) in green spaces, specifically those of different land cover types in an urban park in Korea. We compared and analyzed LST data generated by a thermal infrared (TIR) camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and LST data from the Landsat 8 satellite for seven specific periods. For comparison and evaluation, we measured in situ LSTs using contact thermometers. The UAV TIR LST showed higher accuracy (R2 0.912, root mean square error (RMSE) 3.502 °C) than Landsat TIR LST accuracy (R2 value lower than 0.3 and RMSE of 7.246 °C) in all periods. The Landsat TIR LST did not show distinct LST characteristics by period and land cover type; however, grassland, the largest land cover type in the study area, showed the highest accuracy. With regard to the accuracy of the UAV TIR LST by season, the accuracy was higher in summer and spring (R2 0.868–0.915, RMSE 2.523–3.499 °C) than in autumn and winter (R2 0.766–0.79, RMSE 3.834–5.398 °C). Some land cover types (concrete bike path, wooden deck) were overestimated, showing relatively high total RMSEs of 4.439 °C and 3.897 °C, respectively, whereas grassland, which has lower LST, was underestimated—showing a total RMSE of 3.316 °C. Our results showed that the UAV TIR LST could be measured with sufficient reliability for each season and land cover type in an urban park with complex land cover types. Accordingly, our results could contribute to decision-making for urban spaces and environmental planning in consideration of the thermal environment.

scholarly journals The hydrological responses of different land cover types in a re-vegetation catchment area of the Loess Plateau, China

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 5809-5835 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Wang ◽  
B. J. Fu ◽  
G. Y. Gao ◽  
J. Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Water Loss ◽  
The Other ◽  
Land Cover Type ◽  
Land Cover Types ◽  
Cover Type ◽  
Daily Water ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The impact of re-vegetation on soil moisture dynamics was investigated by comparing five land cover types. Soil moisture and temperature variations under grass (Andropogon), subshrub (Artemisia scoparia), shrub (Spiraea pubescens), tree (Robinia pseudoacacia), and crop (Zea mays) vegetation were monitored in an experiment performed during the growing season of 2011. There were more than 10 soil moisture pulses during the period of data collection, and the surface soil moisture of all of the land cover types showed an increasing trend. Corn cover was associated with consistently higher soil moisture readings than the other surfaces. Grass and subshrubs showed an intermediate moisture level, with that of grass being slightly higher than that of subshrub most of the time. Shrubs and trees were characterized by lower soil moisture readings, with the shrub levels consistently being slightly higher than those of the trees. With the exception of the corn land cover type, the average soil temperature showed the same regime as the average moisture content, but exhibiting a downward trend throughout the observation period. Three typical decreasing periods were chosen to compare the differences in water losses. In periods of both relatively lower and higher water soil moisture contents, subshrubs lost the largest amount of water. The daily water loss associated with corn was most variable. The tree and shrub sites presented an intermediate level, with that of tree being slightly higher compared to shrub; the daily water loss trends of these two land cover types were similar and were more stable than those of the other types. The amount of water loss related to the grass land cover type is determined by the initial moisture content. Soil under subshrubs acquired and retained soil moisture resources more efficiently than the other cover types, representing an adaptive vegetation type in this area.

scholarly journals Montane-breeding Bird Distribution and Abundance Across National Parks of Southwestern Alaska

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney L. Amundson ◽  
Colleen M. Handel ◽  
Daniel R. Ruthrauff ◽  
T. Lee Tibbitts ◽  
Robert E. Gill
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Detection Probability ◽  
National Park ◽  
Alaska Range ◽  
Alaska Peninsula ◽  
Land Cover Types ◽  
Survey Effort ◽  
Southwestern Alaska

Abstract Between 2004 and 2008, biologists conducted an inventory of breeding birds during May–June primarily in montane areas (&gt;100 m above sea level) of Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve (Aniakchak NMP), Katmai National Park and Preserve (Katmai NPP), and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Lake Clark NPP) in southwestern Alaska. Observers conducted 1,021 point counts along 169 transects within 63 10-km × 10-km plots that were randomly selected and stratified by ecological subsection. We created hierarchical N-mixture models to estimate detection probability and abundance for 15 species, including 12 passerines, 2 galliforms, and 1 shorebird. We first modeled detection probability relative to observer, date within season, and proportion of dense vegetation cover around the point, then modeled abundance as a function of land cover composition (proportion of seven coarse-scale land cover types) within 300 m of the survey point. Land cover relationships varied widely among species but most showed selection for low to tall shrubs (0.2–5 m tall) and an avoidance of alpine and dwarf shrub–herbaceous cover types. After adjusting for species not observed, we estimated a minimum of 107 ± 9 species bred in the areas surveyed within the three parks combined. Species richness was negatively associated with elevation and associated land cover types. At comparable levels of survey effort (n = 721 birds detected), species richness was greatest in Lake Clark NPP (75 ± 12 species), lowest in Aniakchak NMP (45 ± 6 species), and intermediate at Katmai NPP (59 ± 10 species). Species richness was similar at equivalent survey effort (n = 973 birds detected) within the Lime Hills, Alaska Range, and Alaska Peninsula ecoregions (68 ± 8; 79 ± 11; 67 ± 11, respectively). Species composition was similar across all three parks and across the three major ecoregions (Alaska Range, Alaska Peninsula, Lime Hills) that encompass them. Our results provide baseline estimates of relative abundance and models of abundance and species richness relative to land cover that can be used to assess future changes in avian distribution. Additionally, these subarctic montane parks may serve as signals of landscape change and barometers for the assessment of population and distributional changes as a result of warming temperatures and changing precipitation patterns.

scholarly journals Relationships between algal biomass and diversity with stream size and adjacent land use

Fine Focus ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-28
Author(s):  
Rachel A. Habegger ◽  
Jordan M. Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Algal Biomass ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Forested Wetlands ◽  
Land Cover Type ◽  
Wetland Area ◽  
Land Cover Types ◽  
Cover Type ◽  
Open Development

Land use adjacent to waterways, such as development or agriculture, alters hydrological patterns leading to increases in runoff and nutrient input. Forests and wetlands, as natural land cover types, reduce water movement and allow infiltration into soil. We measured algal biomass and diversity in order to quantify the influence neighboring land cover types have on streams in Northeastern Indiana. In the study area, cultivated crops were the dominant land cover type, with open development and deciduous forest following. Emergent wetland area had the greatest influence on algal biomass, with increases in wetland area decreasing biomass. However, open development, low intensity development, grassland, shrub, and forested wetlands added to increases in biomass. Conversely, forested wetlands reduced algal richness, while open development and pastures increased richness. Because open development (i.e. dominated by turf grass, lawns, parks, golf courses) was the second most common land cover type and positively influenced both algal biomass and richness, management of those properties will likely have direct impact on nutrient flow into streams. Additionally, adding functional wetlands dominated by emergent herbaceous plants will directly impact future algal biomass.

Bald Eagle Nesting Habitats in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 362-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal D. Mundahl ◽  
Anthony G. Bilyeu ◽  
Lisa Maas
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
The United States ◽  
Bald Eagle ◽  
Haliaeetus Leucocephalus ◽  
Upper Mississippi River ◽  
Human Disturbances ◽  
Bald Eagles ◽  
Land Cover Types ◽  
Nest Sites

Abstract This study examined habitat variables associated with 53 active bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus nest sites in the Winona District of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Refuge is the most heavily visited refuge in the United States, where breeding eagle populations have been increasing dramatically. During February–April 2009, nest trees were identified and measured, nest heights were determined, distances to nearest water bodies were assessed, and forest inventories were conducted for the standing timber surrounding the nest trees. Nest densities and spacing were assessed within each navigation pool, and land cover types were examined within 100- and 1,000-m radii around known eagle nest sites and random points within the Refuge. Ninety-three percent of nest sites had supercanopy eastern cottonwoods Populus deltoides and silver maples Acer saccharinum as the nest trees. Potential human disturbances from highways, railroads, and commercial barge and recreational boat traffic were present within 400 m of 90% of known nest sites. Eagle nest sites were located an average of 1.52 km from the next nearest nest, with nest densities ranging from 0.32 to 9.72 nests/100 km2 among the four navigation pools of the Winona District. Land cover types around known nest sites and random points differed significantly at both 100- and 1,000 m scales, with wet forest and open water significantly more abundant and agricultural and developed lands significantly less abundant than around randomly selected points. Successful nests that fledged at least one young were spaced significantly further away from other active nests and were located in areas with lower tree density than were unsuccessful nests. Floodplain-nesting bald eagles tended to select the tallest, dominant trees for nest sites, placing nests near the height of the surrounding canopy. Human presence within the Refuge does not appear to be limiting the expansion of nesting bald eagles in this riverine habitat.

scholarly journals Urban Heat and Urban Cool Islands of Different Land Use Types in Cuiabá, Brazil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natallia Sanches e Souza ◽  
Marta Cristina de Jesus Albuquerque Nogueira ◽  
Flávia Maria de Moura Santos ◽  
Luciana Sanches
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Heat Islands ◽  
Land Cover Type ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Land Cover Types ◽  
Cover Type ◽  
Urban Heat

Abstract Urban heat islands (UHIs), urban cool islands (UCIs), and their varying effects due to land use/land cover types and the local climate were investigated from 2014 to 2015 in three urban zones located in Cuiabá city, Brazil, during hot-humid, and hot-dry periods. All the urban zones were analysed for land use/land cover type, local climate, and rate of warming and cooling based on the difference in air temperature (ΔT) between the urban zones and the rural zone located outside the urban perimeter. The annual UHI effect in all the urban zones exhibited varying intensities during the day, with the highest daytime intensity recorded after the sunrise. The duration of UHI effect varied with land use/land cover type; a consequence of high built-up density, verticalization, waterproof surface, and other peculiarities of urban areas. In the urban zones with high built-up density, the duration of UHI effect was observed for up to 24 h, while in the urban areas with low built-up density, the maximum duration of UHI effect was 8 h. On an average, during the daytime, the urban zone with approximately 70% of vegetation cover and water bodies recorded a UCI value of approximately –8 °C, whereas the urban zones with approximately 80% waterproof surface and bare land recorded a UCI value close to +2 °C during the hot-dry and hot-humid periods. The results indicate that land use and land cover types directly influence UHI intensity.

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