applied geog 2009
TRANSCRIPT
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Landform Based Eco-Regional Mapping in Arid
Environments: Lessons from the Chihuahuan Desert
Michael N. DeMers, Daniel P. Dugas, Walter G. Whitford, and Janet Greenlee
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Definition
Ecoregion: “recurring pattern of ecosystems associated with characteristic combinations of soil and landform that characterize that region.spatial coincidence of factorsmight involve “convergence” of evidenceoften hierarchical
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Purpose
Develop a transferable method of rapid assessment of arid lands.
Goals: Method Characteristics
1. Triage-like decision tool for range managers
2. Technology light
3. Transferable to different arid regions
4. Effective
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Method
Select undisturbed arid regionAssemble subject matter specialistsObtain hard copy of ETM7 imageryVisually classify the landformsConvert to vegetative classificationEvaluate classification
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Chihuahuan Desert Study
Area: Armendaris
Ranch
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Armendaris Ranch Study
Area
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Polygon Mapping
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Selected Study Area Landforms(after Peterson, 1981)
LF2 - Mountain slope LF13 - Depression
LF4 - Fan piedmont LF14 – Sedimentary bedrock hill
LF5 – Alluvial fan LF15 – Lava flow
LF8 – Fan skirt LF19 - Disturbed
LF9 – Lake plain LF20 – Aeolian terrain
LF10 – Alluvial flat LF22 - Bellana
LF12 - Playa LF23 – Inset fans
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Methods of Geomorphology Classification
Modeled geomorphological units after hierarchical schemes for desert basin and range landforms
Obtained topographic characteristics using 1:15,000 scale, 20’ interval topographic sheets produced from digital files of 1:24,000 USGS sheets.
Designation of geomorphic units on 1:56,000 scale Landsat TM image plots. Band combinations of (5,4,1); (3,2,1); (7, 4, 1); band 1, PCA, etc. (visual interpretation)
Bedrock and sediment-shed mapping based on the geologic maps of Dane and Buchman (1965), Seager, et al. (1975), and Thompson (1992).
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Obtain and Classify RS Data
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Bands evaluated:
Rock types = TM 5 & 7.
Rock vs Veg = TM 1.
Combinations:
4, 5, 1
1, 3, 2
1, 4, 7
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Principle Component Analysis Color Composite
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Principle Component Analysis with Landform Polygons
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Basic Geomorphi
c Unit Polygons
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Variable Type LevelPH physiography: PH1 mountain
PH2 piedmontPH3 basin floor
LF landform: LF1 mountain canyonLF2 mountain slopeLF3 pedimentLF4 fan collarLF5 erosional fan remnantLF6 alluvial fan apronLF7 non-buried fan remnantLF8 alluvial plainLF9 playaLF10 hills of calcareous originLF11 hills and plateaus of igneous
originLF12 active dunesLF13 inactive dunesLF14 coppice dunesLF15 blowoutLF16 arroyo bottomLF17 other
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2 montane slope4 fan piedmont5 alluvial fan8 fan skirt10 alluvial Flat12 playa13 depression14 sedimentary hills15 lava flows19 disturbed20 aeolian terrain22 balena23 inset fan
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Vegetation Mapping
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Verification
Random walk (with vehicle)GPS location plottedSpecies composition recorded9 initial communities identifiedCrosswalking field observations
with landforms yielded 3 additional categories
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Plant Community Types I
V1 – Rock outcrop bedrock
3A – Desert grassland, shrub-mixed grass series
V2 – Rock outcrop 0 – Desert grassland, montane grassland
V3 - Steep piedmont slopes 3B - Desert grassland, threeawn series
V4 – Gently sloping piedmonts
0 – Desert grassland, gramma grass series
V5 – Fine textured basin drainage
0 – Desert grassland, closed basin playa alkalai sink-riparian
V6 – Run-on piedmont segments
0 – Desert grassland, tobosa series
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Plant Community Types IIV7 – Upland rolling plains on piedmont
0/1A – Desert grassland grama grass series
V8 – Lava flows + aeolian deposits
4B – Desert grassland, shrub-mixed grass series
V9 – Basins with high gypsum soils
0 – Desert grassland, sacaton series / closed basin-playa-alkali sink riparian
V10 – Aeolian with coppice dunes
1C/2B - Chihuahuan Desert scrubland
V11 – Gentle lower piedmont interfluves with permanent livestock watering points
3C - Disturbed Chihuahuan Desert scrubland
V12 - Gently sloping lower piedmont erosional drainiges w/in 1.5 km of permanent livestock watering points
5C - Disturbed Chihuahuan Desert Scrubland
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Composite Landform / Vegetation Polygons
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Results
With few exceptions geomorphic map units also mark real vegetation boundaries
Triage mapping of vegetation using geomorphology/vegetation relationships is a useful and valid method
The geomorphology/vegetation relationships identified in the Armendaris Ranch study area are effectively being applied to compare potential (undisturbed) and disturbed rangeland conditions in the Jornada LTER.
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What’s Next?
1. Create an appropriate methodology to quantitatively asses our accuracy (See Klimaszewski-Patterson)
2. Create a rule-based system to implement the “REAL” triage method of arid land evaluation
3. Export the methodology to a different arid rangeland region
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Acknowledgements
Armendaris Ranch – general manager Mr. Tom Waddell
Mr. Dallas Bash from the Directorate of the Environment, U. S. Army, Fort Bliss, Texas – imagery.
This research was funded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Grant (#1241945).