\u3ci\u3eAgricultural Research Magazine\u3c/i\u3e April 2012

Tuning In to Technology Benefits of Biotech, Computational Tech, and Nanotec

Proceedings of the Airborne Imaging Spectrometer Data Analysis Workshop

The Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) Data Analysis Workshop was held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 8 to 10, 1985. It was attended by 92 people who heard reports on 30 investigations currently under way using AIS data that have been collected over the past two years. Written summaries of 27 of the presentations are in these Proceedings. Many of the results presented at the Workshop are preliminary because most investigators have been working with this fundamentally new type of data for only a relatively short time. Nevertheless, several conclusions can be drawn from the Workshop presentations concerning the value of imaging spectrometry to Earth remote sensing. First, work with AIS has shown that direct identification of minerals through high spectral resolution imaging is a reality for a wide range of materials and geological settings. Second, there are strong indications that high spectral resolution remote sensing will enhance the ability to map vegetation species. There are also good indications that imaging spectrometry will be useful for biochemical studies of vegetation. Finally, there are a number of new data analysis techniques under development which should lead to more efficient and complete information extraction from imaging spectrometer data. The results of the Workshop indicate that as experience is gained with this new class of data, and as new analysis methodologies are developed and applied, the value of imaging spectrometry should increase

UAVs and Machine Learning Revolutionising Invasive Grass and Vegetation Surveys in Remote Arid Lands

This is the final version of the article. Available from MDPI via the DOI in this record.The monitoring of invasive grasses and vegetation in remote areas is challenging, costly, and on the ground sometimes dangerous. Satellite and manned aircraft surveys can assist but their use may be limited due to the ground sampling resolution or cloud cover. Straightforward and accurate surveillance methods are needed to quantify rates of grass invasion, offer appropriate vegetation tracking reports, and apply optimal control methods. This paper presents a pipeline process to detect and generate a pixel-wise segmentation of invasive grasses, using buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and spinifex (Triodia sp.) as examples. The process integrates unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) also commonly known as drones, high-resolution red, green, blue colour model (RGB) cameras, and a data processing approach based on machine learning algorithms. The methods are illustrated with data acquired in Cape Range National Park, Western Australia (WA), Australia, orthorectified in Agisoft Photoscan Pro, and processed in Python programming language, scikit-learn, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) libraries. In total, 342,626 samples were extracted from the obtained data set and labelled into six classes. Segmentation results provided an individual detection rate of 97% for buffel grass and 96% for spinifex, with a global multiclass pixel-wise detection rate of 97%. Obtained results were robust against illumination changes, object rotation, occlusion, background cluttering, and floral density variation.This work was funded by the Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre (PBCRC) 2164 project, the Agriculture Victoria Research and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The authors would like to acknowledge Derek Sandow andWA Parks andWildlife Service for the logistic support and permits to access the survey areas at Cape Range National Park. The authors would also like to acknowledge Eduard Puig-Garcia for his contributions in co-planning the experimentation phase. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the QUT Research Engineering Facility (REF) Operations Team (Dirk Lessner, Dean Gilligan, Gavin Broadbent and Dmitry Bratanov), who operated the DJI S800 EVO UAV and image sensors, and performed ground referencing. We thank Gavin Broadbent for the design, manufacturing, and tuning of a two-axis gimbal for the camera. We also acknowledge the High-Performance Computing and Research Support Group at QUT, for the computational resources and services used in this work

Simulating the impact of land use change and climate change on the supply of ecosystem services in a rubber-dominated watershed in Southwestern China

This cumulative PhD thesis investigates the expansion of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.) plantations and the ensuing multiple impacts on biodiversity and the supply of ecosystem services (ESS) in a mountainous watershed in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Southwestern China. In recent decades, the study area, the Nabanhe Reserve, saw the expansion of rubber plantations and the loss of extensive forest areas, which led to a substantial decline in ESS. Workshops with regional stakeholders resulted in the development of three future land use scenarios for Nabanhe Reserve (2015 2040), varying in their degree of rubber expansions, management options and reforestations efforts. In the first study, the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) modeling framework was used to analyze the impact of these rubber expansion scenarios on selected ESS: sediment retention, water yield, habitat quality, and carbon sequestration. In addition, a model for assessing potential rubber yields was developed and implemented in ArcGIS. The analysis also included different statistical weighting methods to include rankings for the preference of ESS from three contrasting stakeholder groups (prefecture administration, tourists, off-site citizens). The study concludes that the integrated ESS indices would be overestimated without the inclusion of the stakeholder groups. The second study introduced a new method to identify potential tipping points in the supply of ESS. Here, time-series data derived from InVEST have been combined with a sequential, data-driven algorithm (R-method) to identify potential tipping points in the supply of ESS within two contrasting scenarios of rubber expansion in Nabanhe Reserve. The tipping point analysis included hydrological, agronomical, and climate-regulation ESS, as well as multiple facets of biodiversity. The model results showed regime shifts indicating potential tipping points, which were linked to abrupt changes in rubber yields, in both scenarios and at varying spatial scales. The study concludes that sophisticated land use planning may provide benefits in the supply of ESS at watershed scale, but that potential trade-offs at sub-watershed scales should not be neglected. The third study focused on modeling hydrological ESS (water yield and sediment export) in Nabanhe Reserve under multiple scenarios of land use and climate change in order to assess how both drivers influence the supply of these ESS. Three rubber expansion scenarios were analyzed in combination with multiple climate change scenarios using the InVEST modeling framework. Simulation results showed that the effect of land use and land management decisions on water yield in Nabanhe Reserve are relatively minor (4% difference in water yield between land use scenarios), when compared to the effects that future climate change will exert on water yield (up to 15% increase or 13% decrease in water yield compared to the baseline climate). Changes in sediment export were more sensitive to land use change (15% increase or 64% decrease) in comparison to the effects of climate change (up to 10% increase). The study concludes that in the future, particularly dry years may have a more pronounced effect on the water balance in Nabanhe Reserve as the higher potential evapotranspiration increases the probability for periods of water scarcity, especially in the dry season. In conclusion, the studies showed detrimental consequences induced by rubber expansions for all assessed ESS, with the exception of rubber yields. Further continuing the trend of rubber expansions in the study area is not the best option in terms of integrated ESS supply on a landscape scale. Land use planning alternatives, such as rubber expansions restricted to suitable areas only, in combination with reforestation efforts at less suitable locations, may be used to keep crucial environmental functions intact. Policy regulations at the local level, if properly assessed with spatial models and integrated stakeholder feedback, have the potential to buffer the typical trade-off between agricultural intensification and environmental protection. The implementation of these regulations might still pose a considerable challenge. The methods introduced in this Dissertation can easily be transferred to regions facing comparable land use situations, as InVEST and a large amount of the utilized spatial datasets are freely available.Die vorgelegte Doktorarbeit befasst sich mit der Ausweitung von Kautschukplantagen (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.) und den daraus folgenden vielfältigen Auswirkungen auf Biodiversität und die Bereitstellung von Ökosystemdienstleistungen (ÖSD) in einem bergigen Wassereinzugsgebiet in der Präfektur Xishuangbanna im Südwesten Chinas. In den vergangenen Jahrzehnten kam es im Untersuchungsgebiet, dem Nabanhe-Reservat, zu einer rasanten Ausweitung von Kautschukplantagen und dem Verlust weitläufiger Waldflächen und Ökosystemdienstleistungen. Aus Workshops mit regionalen Interessenvertretern entstanden drei Landnutzungsszenarien für die Zukunft des Nabanhe-Reservats (2015 2040), die sich hinsichtlich des Ausmaßes der Kautschukausweitung, verschiedener Managementoptionen und Wiederaufforstungsstrategien unterscheiden. In der ersten Fallstudie wurde das Model InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-Offs) verwendet, um die Auswirkungen der Landnutzungsszenarien auf vier ausgewählte ÖSD zu analysieren: Sedimentretention, Wasserertrag, Habitat-Qualität und Kohlenstoffbindung. Zusätzlich wurde ein Modell zur Abschätzung potenzieller Kautschukerträge entwickelt und in ArcGIS implementiert. Weiterhin wurden verschiedene statistische Gewichtungsmethoden benutzt, um die Präferenzen dreier kontrastierender Interessengruppen (Präfektur-Administration, Touristen, Externe Bürger) in der Auswertung der ÖSD Ergebnisse miteinzubinden. Die Studie kommt zu dem Schluss, dass die integrierten ÖSD Indizes ohne die Einbeziehung der Interessengruppen überbewertet würden. Die zweite Studie stellt eine neue Methode zur Identifikation potenzieller Kipp-Punkte (KP) in der Bereitstellung von ÖSD vor. Hierbei werden Zeitreihendaten von InVEST mit einem sequenziellen, datengetriebenen Algorithmus (R-Methode) kombiniert, um potenzielle KP in der Bereitstellung von ÖSD innerhalb zweier gegensätzlicher Landnutzungsszenarios abzuleiten. Die KP-Analyse umfasste hydrologische, agronomische und klimaregulierende ÖSD sowie mehrere Facetten der Artenvielfalt. Die Modellergebnisse zeigten in beiden Landnutzungsszenarien auf unterschiedlichen räumlichen Skalen Regimeverschiebungen, die auf potenzielle KP hindeuteten und aus abrupten Veränderungen der Kautschukerträge hervorgingen. Verbesserungen in der Bereitstellung von ÖSD können mit Hilfe von gut geplanten Landnutzungsstrategien auf der Skalenebene von Wassereinzugsgebieten erreicht werden. Potenzielle Trade-Offs auf kleineren Skalenebenen sollten jedoch auch beachtet werden. Die dritte Studie befasste sich mit der Modellierung hydrologischer ÖSD (Wasserertrag und Sedimentretention) im Nabanhe-Reservat unter verschiedenen Landnutzungs- und Klimawandelszenarien, um zu beurteilen, wie beide Faktoren die Bereitstellung dieser ÖSD beeinflussen. Drei Landnutzungsszenarien wurden in Kombination mit mehreren Klimawandel-Szenarien mit Hilfe von InVEST analysiert. Die Simulationsergebnisse zeigen, dass die Auswirkungen von Landnutzungs- und Landmanagemententscheidungen auf den Wasserertrag im Nabanhe-Reservat relativ gering sind (ein Unterschied von 4% im Wasserertrag zwischen den Landnutzungsszenarien), insbesondere wenn man sie mit den Auswirkungen des bevorstehenden Klimawandels vergleicht (eine 15% Zunahme oder 13% Abnahme des Wasserertrags verglichen mit dem Baseline-Klima). Sedimentexportwerte reagierten sensitiver auf Landnutzungsänderungen (15% Zunahme oder 64% Abnahme) im Vergleich zu den Auswirkungen des Klimawandels (bis zu 10% Zunahme). Die Studie kommt zu dem Schluss, dass sich in Zukunft besonders trockene Jahre stärker auf den Wasserhaushalt im Nabanhe-Reservat auswirken könnten, da die höhere potenzielle Evapotranspiration die Wahrscheinlichkeit für Zeiten der Wasserknappheit erhört, was insbesondere in der Trockenzeit eintreten könnte. Zusammenfassend zeigten die Studien nachteilige Folgen der Kautschukausweitung in Bezug auf alle betrachteten ÖSD mit Ausnahme der Kautschukerträge. Auf Landschaftsebene ist die zusätzliche Ausweitung von Kautschukflächen nicht die beste Option im Hinblick auf die integrierte ÖSD Bereitstellung. Alternativen der Landnutzungsplanung, wie z.B. die Kautschukausweitung auf geeignete Flächen zu beschränken und andere Flächen wieder aufzuforsten, können genutzt werden, um wichtige Umweltfunktionen zu erhalten. Politische Regelungen auf lokaler Ebene haben das Potenzial den typischen Zielkonflikt zwischen landwirtschaftlicher Intensivierung und Umweltschutz zu mildern, sofern sie mit räumlich expliziter Modellierung und dem Feedback von Interessengruppen ausgewertet werden. Die Umsetzung solcher Regelungen könnte jedoch eine beträchtliche Herausforderung darstellen. Die in dieser Dissertation vorgestellten Methoden können leicht auf Regionen mit vergleichbaren Landnutzungssituationen übertragen werden, da sowohl InVEST als auch der Großteil der verwendeten räumlichen Datensätze frei verfügbar sind

Quarterly literature review of the remote sensing of natural resources

The Technology Application Center reviewed abstracted literature sources, and selected document data and data gathering techniques which were performed or obtained remotely from space, aircraft or groundbased stations. All of the documentation was related to remote sensing sensors or the remote sensing of the natural resources. Sensors were primarily those operating within the 10 to the minus 8 power to 1 meter wavelength band. Included are NASA Tech Briefs, ARAC Industrial Applications Reports, U.S. Navy Technical Reports, U.S. Patent reports, and other technical articles and reports

Agricultural Research Division 120th Annual Report 2006

Table of Contents: Our Mission Foreword Research Highlights Faculty Awards and Recognitions Graduate Student Awards and Recognitions Undergraduate Honors Student Research Program Variety and Germplasm Releases Administration Administrative Personnel Organizational Chart Administrative UnitsIANR Research Facilities Faculty Agricultural/Natural Resources UnitsEducation and Human Sciences Departments Off-Campus Research Centers Interdisciplinary Activities Visiting Scientists/Research Associates Research Projects Agricultural/Natural Resources Units Education and Human Sciences Departments Off-Campus Research Centers Interdisciplinary Activities Publications Agricultural/Natural Resources UnitsEducation and Human Sciences Departments Off-Campus Research Centers Research Expenditure