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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Lauderdale, Florida » Invasive Plant Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415301
Research Project: Development and Implementation of Biological Control Programs for Natural Area Weeds in the Southeastern United States

Location: Invasive Plant Research Laboratory

Title: The Increasing Role of Remote Sensing and UAS in Biological Control Impact Surveillance

Author
item Smith, Melissa
item JULIAN, PAUL - Everglades Foundation
item ZHANG, BO - Oklahoma State University
item DEANGELIS, DON - Us Geological Survey (USGS)

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2023
Publication Date: 12/12/2023
Citation: Smith, M., Julian, P., Zhang, B., Deangelis, D. 2023. The Increasing Role of Remote Sensing and UAS in Biological Control Impact Surveillance. Meeting Abstract. 69, 293-301. 10.1007/s10526-023-10229-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-023-10229-y

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only.

Technical Abstract: Biological invasions occur on a landscape scale and can often be detected at a coarse scale through vegetation indices such as NDVI. Due to the increasing availability of satellite imagery and computing power, we can readily and inexpensively acquire and analyze time series of images to gauge the ebb and flow of large-scale invasions. These can be particularly insightful regarding time points before and after control efforts have been implemented. These coarse measurements also help to bolster the evidence for reduction on a landscape, even if local populations are persistent. In addition to increasingly fine-scale satellite imagery, the availability of consumer or industrial UAS also increases the ability to monitor and survey large areas for changes in vegetation, even at very fine scales (<3cm). Herein, we describe initial efforts to utilize these tools and ground truth them in a mixed wetland ecosystem in which on-the-ground measurements are difficult to obtain: Big Cypress National Preserve. We utilized geospatial mapping software, public datasets, and publicly available satellite imagery to assess coverage of Melaleuca quinquenervia before and after the implementation of a comprehensive biological control effort. We found that M. quinquenervia coverage was reduced by >95% in the preserve and this reduction could be correlated to reductions in the NDVI obtained from LandSAT images. We plan to expand our detection abilities by developing multispectral signatures for each invasive plant target when it is unimpacted and when it is experiencing herbivory.