scholarly journals Comparing Stability in Random Forest Models to Map Northern Great Plains Plant Communities Using 2015 and 2016 Pleiades Imagery

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jameson Brennan ◽  
Patricia Johnson ◽  
Niall Hanan
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Random Forest ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Plant Structure ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Sensing Applications ◽  
High Resolution Imagery ◽  
Misclassification Rates

Abstract. The use of high resolution imagery in remote sensing has the potential to improve understanding of patch level variability in plant structure and community composition that may be lost at coarser scales. Random forest (RF) is a machine learning technique that has gained considerable traction in remote sensing applications due to its ability to produce accurate classifications with highly dimensional data and relatively efficient computing times. The aim of this study was to test the ability of RF to classify five plant communities located both on and off prairie dog towns in mixed grass prairie landscapes of north central South Dakota, and assess the stability of RF models among different years. During 2015 and 2016, Pleiades satellites were tasked to image the study site for a total of five monthly collections each summer (June–October). Training polygons were mapped in 2016 for the five plant communities and used to train separate 2015 and 2016 RF models. The RF models for 2015 and 2016 were highly effective at predicting different vegetation types associated with, and remote from, prairie dog towns (misclassification rates

scholarly journals Comparing stability in random forest models to map Northern Great Plains plant communities in pastures occupied by prairie dogs using Pleiades imagery

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1281-1292
Author(s):  
Jameson R. Brennan ◽  
Patricia S. Johnson ◽  
Niall P. Hanan
Keyword(s):  
Random Forest ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Cynomys Ludovicianus ◽  
Prairie Dogs ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) have been described as a keystone species and are important for grassland conservation, yet many concerns exist over the impact of prairie dogs on plant biomass production and consequently livestock production. The ability to map plant communities in pastures colonized by prairie dogs can provide land managers with an opportunity to optimize rangeland production while balancing conservation goals. The aim of this study was to test the ability of random forest (RF) models to classify five plant communities located on and off prairie dog towns in mixed-grass prairie landscapes of north central South Dakota, assess the stability of RF models among different years, and determine the utility of utilizing remote sensing techniques to identify prairie dog colony extent. During 2015 and 2016, Pleiades satellites were tasked to image the study site for a total of five monthly collections each summer (June–October). Training polygons were mapped in 2016 for the five plant communities and used to train RF models. Both the 2015 and 2016 RF models had low (1 %) out-of-bag error rates. However, comparisons between the predicted plant community maps using the 2015 imagery and one created with the 2016 imagery indicate over 32.9 % of pixels changed plant community class between 2015 and 2016. The results show that while RF models may predict with a high degree of accuracy, overlap of plant communities and interannual differences in rainfall may cause instability in fitted models. A final RF model combining both 2015 and 2016 data yielded the lowest error rates and was also highly accurate in determining prairie dog colony boundaries.

Effect of Aminocyclopyrachlor on Native Prairie Species in the Northern Great Plains

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blake M. Thilmony ◽  
Rodney G. Lym
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Leafy Spurge ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Invasive Weeds ◽  
Canada Thistle ◽  
Floristic Quality ◽  
Treatment Timing ◽  
Native Prairie ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Aminocyclopyrachlor (AMCP) will control many invasive broadleaf weeds, but the susceptibility of desirable forbs is not widely known. Native prairie response to AMCP was evaluated near Fargo, ND, and Felton, MN, in the Northern Great Plains. Both sites had high floristic quality prior to treatment, with 33 and 80 different species at Fargo and Felton, respectively. AMCP was applied at 140 g ha−1 in July 2014 to coincide with leafy spurge and Canada thistle treatment timing. AMCP altered the plant communities and reduced foliar cover of undesirable species, high seral forbs (undisturbed stable communities), and low seral forbs (early succession in disturbed communities) at both locations at 10 and 14 mo after treatment (MAT). AMCP reduced Canada thistle and leafy spurge in Fargo and eliminated hedge bindweed, prickly lettuce, and black medic in Felton. High seral forb foliar cover was reduced at 10 and 14 MAT from 20% to 2% and 3% in Fargo and from 19% to 1.6% and 2% in Felton, respectively. The high seral forb species birdfoot violet, white panicled aster, northern bedstraw, Canada goldenrod, purple meadowrue, and American vetch were reduced at both locations. Low seral forb cover also decreased at 10 MAT from 22% to 10% in Fargo and from 12% to 1% in Felton, respectively. By 14 MAT, low seral species in Fargo recovered to 16%, but recovery was much slower in Felton and slightly increased to 1.5%. After treatment high and low seral monocot species increased at both sites, likely due to reduced competition from susceptible species. AMCP reduced richness, evenness, and diversity at both locations at 10 and 14 MAT; therefore, floristic quality declined. A decline in diversity is generally undesirable but could have beneficial effects if invasive weeds and other undesirable species are reduced or eliminated.

Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) Affects Vegetation More Than Seed Banks in Mixed-Grass Prairies of the Northern Great Plains

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 416-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin F. Haines ◽  
Diane L. Larson ◽  
Jennifer L. Larson
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Exotic Plants ◽  
Seed Banks ◽  
Leafy Spurge ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Invasion History ◽  
Living Plant ◽  
Mixed Grass

AbstractExotic plants have the ability to modify soil seed banks in habitats they invade, but little is known about the legacy of invasion on seed banks once an exotic plant has successfully been controlled. Natural areas previously invaded by leafy spurge in the northern Great Plains typically have one of two fates following its removal: a return of native plants, or a secondary invasion of other exotic plants. It is unknown, however, if this difference in plant communities following leafy spurge control is due to seed bank differences. To answer this question, we monitored seed banks and standing vegetation for 2 yr in mixed-grass prairies that were previously invaded by leafy spurge but controlled within 5 yr of our study. We found that native plant seed banks were largely intact in areas previously invaded by leafy spurge, regardless of the current living plant community, and leafy spurge invasion history had a larger impact on cover and diversity of the vegetation than on the seed banks. Differences in plant communities following leafy spurge control do not appear to be related to the seed banks, and soil conditions may be more important in determining trajectories of these postinvasion communities.

scholarly journals Use of Remote Sensing for Detecting and Mapping Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)

1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 599-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Everitt ◽  
Gerald L. Anderson ◽  
David E. Escobar ◽  
Michael R. Davis ◽  
Neal R. Spencer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
The United States ◽  
Leafy Spurge ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Canopy Reflectance ◽  
Video Images ◽  
Golden Yellow ◽  
Study Sites

Leafy spurge is a troublesome, exotic weed in the northern Great Plains of the United States. Leafy spurge produces showy yellow bracts during June that give this weed a conspicuous appearance. A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of using remote sensing techniques to detect leafy spurge in this phenological stage. Study sites were located in North Dakota and Montana. Plant canopy reflectance measurements showed that leafy spurge had higher visible (0.63- to 0.69-μm) reflectance than several associated plant species. The conspicuous yellow bracts of leafy spurge gave it distinct yellow-green and pink images on conventional color and color-infrared aerial photographs, respectively. Leafy spurge also could be distinguished on conventional color video imagery where it had a golden yellow image response. Quantitative data obtained from digitized video images showed that leafy spurge had statistically different digital values from those of associated vegetation and soil. Computer analyses of video images showed/that light reflected from leafy spurge populations could be quantified from associated vegetation. This technique permits area estimates of leafy spurge populations. Large format conventional color photographs of Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora, ND were digitized and integrated with a geographic information system to produce a map of leafy spurge populations within the park that can be useful to monitor the spread or decline of leafy spurge.

Drought-mediated changes in black-tailed prairie dog colonies in the Northern Great Plains

2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 1189-1204
Author(s):  
Jason E Bruggeman ◽  
Daniel S Licht
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Drought Stress ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
National Park ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Delayed Response ◽  
Prairie Dog ◽  
Vegetation Height ◽  
National Monument ◽  
Badlands National Park

Abstract Populations of many mammal species living in grassland ecosystems across North America have been reduced greatly over the past 200 years due to conversion of native prairie to human-related uses. Foremost among these species is the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), populations of which have declined an estimated 98% during that time. In addition to anthropogenic factors including plague, black-tailed prairie dog populations can vary in size in response to grazing by native ungulates, fire, and precipitation. Colonies in the Northern Great Plains have expanded and contracted during dry and wet periods, respectively. Drought reduces vegetation height; tall vegetation is known to limit colony expansion, possibly due to increased predation risk. We used mixed-effects models to analyze data sets of colony areas of black-tailed prairie dogs spanning 16–22 years and 983 total colony counts, from 142 unique colonies at Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, United States, and Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska, United States, to relate areal dynamics of colonies over time to total annual precipitation, drought stress, and plague. We also analyzed the relationship between active-burrow densities and precipitation and drought stress using 7 years of data from 271 colony counts at Badlands National Park. Black-tailed prairie dog colonies expanded in response to drought conditions in all three national parks, with colonies in Wind Cave National Park exhibiting a time-delayed response. In addition, colony area was negatively related to total accumulated precipitation for the preceding 12 months for Scotts Bluff National Monument. Active-burrow density at Badlands National Park decreased in response to drought stress with a time lag of 24–36 months. Plague first was reported at Badlands National Park in 2008 and colony areas decreased dramatically and rapidly during plague epizootic events. Our results support observations that black-tailed prairie dog colonies in the Northern Great Plains expand and contract in response to drought stress and wet weather. Furthermore, our findings provide new insights into the role of climate on a keystone species of conservation importance and demonstrate the value of collecting long-term ecological data.

Prairie dog poisoning in northern Great Plains: An analysis of programs and policies

1996 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Roemer ◽  
Steven C. Forrest
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Prairie Dog
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