Using LIDAR to assess the roles of climate and land-cover dynamics in biodiversity changes
Collaborators: Dr. Giorgos Mountrakis, Dr. Bill Porter, Dr. Colin Beier, Dr. Ben Zuckerberg
Bird Distribution within NY State (credit B. Zuckerberg)
Funders: NASA
Motivation: Recent work has demonstrated a northern shift in bird habitats over the past 20 years in NY State. Our motivating question is to assess whether this northern shift is attributed to land use and land cover changes or to climatic changes.
Methodology: Our research team is composed of engineers, ecologists and biologists. We will establish a biodiversity model linking land use land cover (LULC) alterations and climate changes to bird spatial distribution. Changes in LULC will be assessed directly or indirectly using remotely sensed information. We will also fly our own airborne mission using the Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor.
Findings: Project starts in September, 2009.
Relevant papers: Not yet.
