We can observe and describe forest disturbances in a number of ways using satellite imagery, airborne observations, and field measurements. Our work in Upper Midwest and Great Lakes forests considers numerous disturbance types: severe storm winds, insect defoliation, fire, and various partial and clear-cut harvest treatments. We’ve collected a number of field measurement datasets in Minnesota and Wisconsin, especially in areas of spruce budworm outbreak and the Pagami Creek fire. Hyperspectral images from NASA AVIRIS overflights, and multispectral images from Landsat and MODIS, are employed extensively in this work. To identify disturbed areas we reduce the information from multiple spectral bands to calculate vegetation index values for each pixel. Using multiple dates of imagery, these values are compared with nearby undisturbed forest pixels to detect changes over time and subsequently identify the extent and severity of the disturbance.

Lab Members

Matt Garcia

Collaborators:

• Brian Sturtevant, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station

• Peter Wolter, Iowa State University