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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #418137
Research Project: Knowledge Systems and Tools to Increase the Resilience and Sustainability of Western Rangeland Agriculture

Location: Range Management Research

Title: Exploring rangeland restoration with satellite-derived fractional cover maps

Author
item Harrison, Georgia
item Bestelmeyer, Brandon
item Burkett, Laura
item James, Darren
item MEADORS, SAVANNAH - New Mexico State University
item McCord, Sarah

Submitted to: Society for Ecological Restoration Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2024
Publication Date: 11/9/2024
Citation: Harrison, G.R., Bestelmeyer, B.T., Burkett, L.M., James, D.K., Meadors, S., McCord, S.E. 2024. Exploring rangeland restoration with satellite-derived fractional cover maps. Society for Ecological Restoration Abstracts. Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Evaluating restoration treatment effects in rangelands poses a challenge due to the large spatial extent, temporal variability, remote nature of sites, and heterogeneity in vegetation cover. Field monitoring can provide detailed, site-specific information, but can leave spatial and temporal gaps in our understanding of response, and pre-treatment data may be limited. Satellite-derived data can expand upon field-monitoring efforts by providing continuous, spatially explicit information, which can help practitioners better understand variability in treatment response across a landscape. We demonstrate a suite of approaches to examine plant response to treatments in southern New Mexico using Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) fractional cover data. Tebuthiuron treatments were applied aerially at 44 sites ranging in area from 168 to 10,292 ha, with the goal of reducing the encroachment of woody plants and increasing perennial grass cover. Each treatment had at least one 9 ha untreated area which we used as paired experimental controls, and larger treatments had more controls. We calculate the difference between shrub and perennial herbaceous cover relative to the control to consider initial treatment success and response after treatment relative to pre-treatment conditions. We examine site (soil texture, topography) and environmental (precipitation) characteristics common to areas where management objectives are effectively met. Altogether, this project highlights that remotely-sensed cover maps are useful tools for evaluating the cumulative effects of landscape restoration and understanding causes of variation in restoration effectiveness.