Author

Sung-Jun Kim

Date of Award

4-1-2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography and Geology

First Advisor

Dr. Jeffrey Peake

Abstract

Tallgrass Prairie has been highly fragmented and severely disturbed by overgrazing and land development with most of the tallgrass prairie remnants less than 100 hectares in size. The small size results in increased edge effects, potential invasion by undesirable or exotic species, low genetic diversity in local populations and increased extinction rates. To conserve tallgrass prairie remnants, some types of active management are needed. The most common management methods are prescribed burning, haying and mowing. It is essential to monitor the status of tallgrass prairie in order to determine if management objectives are being met. In this study, close-range hyperspectral remote sensing was used to distinguish spectral reflectance patterns of tallgrass prairie managed under different management regimes. Datasets were collected on July 13, 2001 and again on August 28, 2001. A total of five different treatments were examined at a restored tallgrass prairie near Mead, Nebraska. Regression analysts using dummy variables was utilized to compare between treatments in terms of red edge position and reflectance values in the red and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. It was not possible to distinguish between all treatments based on the location of the red edge. By examining the spectral values in the near infrared it was possible to differentiate between all treatments.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Geography and Geology and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science University of Nebraska at Omaha. Copyright 2002 Sung-Jun Kim.

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