Mapping the Change in Abundance of Aquatic Macrophytes Using Aerial Photograph Interpretation

1. Mapping the Change in Abundance of Aquatic Macrophytes Using Aerial Photograph Interpretation

2. Outline Introduction to aerial photograph interpretation (API) Why use API? Honeoye Lake: macrophyte problems Previous studies on the lake Literature review and application Literature Materials and Methods of API Where do I go from here?

3. Aerial Photograph Interpretation Why use it? - Inexpensive - Allows for research over space and time that is otherwise not possible Why aquatic macrophytes? - Ecosystem services - Exotic species have become a nuisance

4. HONEOYE LAKE

5. Concerns about Weedbed Growth Collaboration of: Ontario County planning department Honeoye Valley Association (1986) Honeoye Lake Watershed Taskforce (1997) Finger Lakes Community College

6. Previous inventories of aquatic macrophytes in Honeoye Lake Gilman, 1984, 1994, 2004 Began study to give suggestions on management of aquatic vegetation in the lake Results

7. EurasianWater Milfoil Abundance has increased since 1984 Efficient reproductive strategies 1984: consisted of 32% of vegetated areas 1994: consisted of 94% of vegetated areas

8. Honeoye aquatic weed management program

9. Objectives To gain substantial background information on aerial photograph interpretation through a literature review. Apply this information to a specific case study, using API.

10. Literature Review: uses of API Changes in human or animal demography Look at species composition in areas hard to get at from land Track impacts of climate change or natural disasters Changes in aquatic habitats Other uses: literature review articles Reef: Solomon islands, use of indigenous knowledge to interpret photos Demographic: Kenya study, showed land use changes (land degradation) and indicated population growth, urbanization and effects on the environment Canopy: identified tree species in the canopy of rainforest in French Guiana Database: use satellite images to establish landslide database in Hong Kong Rehabilitation: Jamaica Bay New York (wetlands), Finland lake study Climate change: Jamaica Bay, coral reef in Solomon islands (increase water levels) Other uses: literature review articles Reef: Solomon islands, use of indigenous knowledge to interpret photos Demographic: Kenya study, showed land use changes (land degradation) and indicated population growth, urbanization and effects on the environment Canopy: identified tree species in the canopy of rainforest in French Guiana Database: use satellite images to establish landslide database in Hong Kong Rehabilitation: Jamaica Bay New York (wetlands), Finland lake study Climate change: Jamaica Bay, coral reef in Solomon islands (increase water levels)

11. Demographic changes Kenya, land use changes (Muriuki et al, 2005) Effects of urbanization: environmental and demographic indicators for sociological analysis (Green, 1956) Urban air pollution (Weng and Yang 2005)

12. Hard to reach places Colorado River (Dexter and Cluer, 1999) Tanzania, Lake Babati (Str�mquist, 1992) Canopy trees of the rainforest (Valerie and Marie-Pierre, 2006)

13. Large scale environmental change Hong Kong, China, Landslide database (Nichol and Wong, 2005) Venezuela, forest fires (Silva et al, 2001) Antarctica, satellite images (Lucchitta and Ferguson, 1986) Jamaica bayJamaica bay

14. Aquatic Habitats Lake Ontario, submerged aquatic vegetation (Fitzgerald et al, 2006) Jamaica Bay, salt marsh (Hartig et al, 2002) Solomon Islands, coral reef (Aswani & Lauer, 2006)

15. Materials and Methods Interpreting Aerial Photographs: (CCAP) Coastal Change Analysis Program Stereoscopic image analysis Input data to ArcView GIS mapping software Compare results with field verification Sources of error CCAP of national oceanic and atmospheric administration -standardized way to identify land cover Stereoscopic: -creates three-dimensional view of photograph Field Verification: Bruce Gilman, from Finger Lakes Community College. Studies done in 1985 and 1995 and 2005 CCAP of national oceanic and atmospheric administration -standardized way to identify land cover Stereoscopic: -creates three-dimensional view of photograph Field Verification: Bruce Gilman, from Finger Lakes Community College. Studies done in 1985 and 1995 and 2005

16. Materials and Methods What to look for in a photograph: scale quality or resolution time of year time of day water clarity color vs. black and white atmospheric conditions

18. Room for Improvement� Lack of standardized applications Aerial photographs vs. Satellite images (Glenn and Ripple, 2004) Mapping error (Rapp et al 2005) Should not be used as a primary method of analysis (Stone, 1964)

19. My plans Images obtained from Ontario County Planning Department Create map using API and Arc View software Compare with Gilman�s aquatic weed bed inventories Economic impacts Suggestions for future management on Honeoye

20. Thanks!

21. Got Questions?