U.S. Geological Survey Funding Opportunity: LANDFIRE Ecosystem Studies Research

A critical element in maintaining the accuracy and utility of LANDFIRE data during long-term O&M will be the timely, accurate, efficient, and nationally consistent detection and characterization of change (both natural and anthropogenic), initially in forested but ultimately in all ecosystems. Building on its role in vegetation mapping for LANDFIRE, USGS-EROS is leading remote-sensing based research activities to develop such O&M capabilities. USGS-EROS and its partners will undertake a Southeast (SE) US “Refresh” prototype in FY08 for the initial LANDFIRE O&M research effort. The SE Prototype will focus on forest changes in a study area nominally consisting of the (1) Outer Coastal Plain and (2) Southeastern Mixed Forest ecosystem provinces described in: Bailey, R. G. 1995. Description of the ecoregions of the United States. 2nd ed. rev. and expanded Misc. Pub. No. 1391 (rev.). USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC, with separate map at 1:7,500,000. Building upon the SE Prototype and other research and methodological development, a periodic scientifically robust, periodic national update and remapping program (all ecosystems and LANDFIRE deliverables) will be undertaken after FY11.

To adequately address both the variety of disturbance regimes and vegetation dynamics on which LANDFIRE information is based, this research activity will in part entail (a) development of a vegetation change tracking algorithm for application to multitemporal LANDSAT data, with attendant acquisition, processing, analysis, and management activities; (b) development of a transition database for predicting vegetation dynamics based on detected change; and (c) integration efforts with other ongoing projects (such as the USGS’ Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity Project—MTBS) in developing a robust O&M capability. USGS-EROS is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity in these LANDFIRE O&M research efforts.

The research included in this agreement is designed to answer questions and develop methodologies critical to the success of LANDFIRE O&M. Research objectives contained within the current cooperative program include:

Objective 1 – Development and implementation of a remote-sensing-based vegetation change tracking algorithm for forested and ultimately all ecosystems, consistent with and supportive of LANDFIRE requirements and information products

Objective 2 – Development of resultant forest change maps for the LANDFIRE SE US Prototype

Objective 3 – Companion algorithms for development of LANDFIRE vegetation transition database