Identifying and Forecasting Potential Biophysical Risk Areas within a Tropical Mangrove Ecosystem Using Multi-Sensor Data

Mangroves are one of the most productive ecosystems known for provisioning of various ecosystem goods and services. They help in sequestering large amounts of carbon, protecting coastline against erosion, and reducing impacts of natural disasters such as hurricanes. Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha harbors the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India. This study used Terra, Landsat and Sentinel-1 satellite data for spatio-temporal monitoring of mangrove forest within Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary between 2000 and 2016. Three biophysical parameters were used to assess mangrove ecosystem health: leaf chlorophyll (CHL), Leaf Area Index (LAI), and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP). A long-term analysis of meteorological data such as precipitation and temperature was performed to determine an association between these parameters and mangrove biophysical characteristics. The correlation between meteorological parameters and mangrove biophysical characteristics enabled forecasting of mangrove health and productivity for year 2050 by incorporating IPCC projected climate data. A historical analysis of land cover maps was also performed using Landsat 5 and 8 data to determine changes in mangrove area estimates in years 1995, 2004 and 2017. There was a decrease in dense mangrove extent with an increase in open mangroves and agricultural area. Despite conservation efforts, the current extent of dense mangrove is projected to decrease up to 10% by the year 2050. All three biophysical characteristics including GPP, LAI and CHL, are projected to experience a net decrease of 7.7%, 20.83% and 25.96% respectively by 2050 compared to the mean annual value in 2016. This study will help the Forest Department, Government of Odisha in managing and taking appropriate decisions for conserving and sustaining the remaining mangrove forest under the changing climate and developmental activities

Factors influencing the success of male introductions into groups of female rhesus macaques: Introduction technique, male characteristics and female behavior

In captive populations of rhesus macaques, novel adult males are commonly introduced to female groups every few years to prevent inbreeding, which mimics male dispersal in wild macaque populations. However, introducing adult males is challenging because macaques are aggressive to newcomers, which can result in serious injuries. Efforts to reduce trauma risk during the introduction process and increase the probability of success are needed. Here we investigate the impact of multiple factors, including male attributes (e.g., age, weight, rank, and experience), introduction method (punctuated vs. continual exposure to females), and female behavior, on males' trauma risk and integration success. We studied eight introductions of multimale cohorts (3-7 males each; N = 36 total) into existing female groups of rhesus macaques at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. Four cohorts were introduced using the punctuated exposure method where adult males were moved each morning from run housing to the females' indoor enclosure and returned to run housing in the afternoon, and four cohorts were introduced using the continual exposure method where adult males were moved to an introduction enclosure attached to the females' outdoor compound, allowing males to live in protected contact next to the female group continuously. Generalized linear mixed models fitted to trauma risk (e.g., latency to first trauma; total trauma count) and success or failure to integrate (i.e., continual residence within the female group for greater than 53% of days within a 28-day window after first overnight stay) showed that continual exposure to females in the introduction enclosure reduced male trauma risk and increased the likelihood of successful integration compared to punctuated exposure. Males received less trauma when they received a higher rate of grooming from females. Male attributes had no effect. These findings highlight the importance of introduction technique and female behavior in the process of males' social integration into female groups

Spatiotemporal monitoring of hydrilla [Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle] to aid management actions

©Weed Science Society of America, 2019. Hydrilla is an invasive aquatic plant that has rapidly spread through many inland water bodies across the globe by outcompeting native aquatic plants. The negative impacts of hydrilla invasion have become a concern for water resource management authorities, power companies, and environmental scientists. The early detection of hydrilla infestation is very important to reduce the costs associated with control and removal efforts of this invasive species. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to develop a tool for rapid, frequent, and large-scale monitoring and predicting spatial extent of hydrilla habitat. This was achieved by integrating in situ and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager satellite data for Lake J. Strom Thurmond, the largest US Army Corps of Engineers lake east of the Mississippi River, located on the border of Georgia and South Carolina border. The predictive model for presence of hydrilla incorporated radiometric and physical measurements, including remote-sensing reflectance, Secchi disk depth (SDD), light-attenuation coefficient (Kd), maximum depth of colonization (Zc), and percentage of light available through the water column (PLW). The model-predicted ideal habitat for hydrilla featured high SDD, Zc, and PLW values, low values of Kd. Monthly analyses based on satellite images showed that hydrilla starts growing in April, reaches peak coverage around October, begins retreating in the following months, and disappears in February. Analysis of physical and meteorological factors (i.e., water temperature, surface runoff, net inflow, precipitation) revealed that these parameters are closely associated with hydrilla extent. Management agencies can use these results not only to plan removal efforts but also to evaluate and adapt their current mitigation efforts

Image Processing and Analysis Methods

International audienc