Data Model and Analysis for Spatial Assessment of Environmental Impact and Targeting of Agri-Environmental Schemes at Regional Scales

The report introduces the concepts and strategies for implementing spatial based methods for the assessment of actual environmental impact of Rural Development agri-environmental measures. The objective is to set directions for research work proposing an array of possibilities to identify, assess and to map the impact of the Rural Development schemes related to the Community environmental priorities in contribution to the EC defined evaluation indicators. Specific research results will be reported separately.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Global Ecosystem Response Types Derived from the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index and FPAR3g Series

Observing trends in global ecosystem dynamics is an important first step, but attributing these trends to climate variability represents a further step in understanding Earth system changes. In the present study, we classified global Ecosystem Response Types (ERTs) based on common spatio-temporal patterns in time-series of Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and FPAR3g anomalies (1982–2011) by using an extended Principal Component Analysis. The ERTs represent region specific spatio-temporal patterns of ecosystems responding to drought or ecosystems with decreasing severity in drought events as well as ecosystems where drought was not a dominant factor in a 30-year period. Highest explanatory values in the SPEI12-FPAR3g anomalies and strongest SPEI12-FPAR3g correlations were seen in the ERTs of Australia and South America whereas lowest explanatory value and lowest correlations were observed in Asia and North America. These ERTs complement traditional pixel based methods by enabling the combined assessment of the location, timing, duration, frequency and severity of climatic and vegetation anomalies with the joint assessment of wetting and drying climatic conditions. The ERTs produced here thus have potential in supporting global change studies by mapping reference conditions of long term ecosystem changes.JRC.H.5-Land Resources Managemen

Characterization of Pan-Mediterranean Riparian Areas by Remote Sensing Derived Phenological Indices

This report aimed at inventorying characteristics of Mediterranean riparian-use zones using statistical analysis of some phenological indices calculated from remote sensing time series. Riparian areas are focused because of their prime importance in offering potential for adapted agricultural landuse and their ecosystem services. The quantity of vegetation cover present in these wider riparian-use zones has been proven to be directly dependent to adjacent landuse and related to the functioning of the zone as wider riparian buffer. Phenological indices derived from low resolution remote sensing time series can be used in complement with other data to assess and monitor dynamics and stresses of the riparian-use zones.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

Correspondence of Satellite Measured Phenology to European Farmland Bird Distribution Patterns

This report presents research in establishing linkages between remotely sensed information of vegetation cover and biological diversity, specifically focusing on farmland birds. The vegetation cover was investigated via phenological indices derived from time series of satellite images. The quantification of phenological processes is very important for understanding ecosystems and ecological development. Such factors determine population growth and influence species-species interactions (competition, predation, reproduction) and species distribution. Birds have long been used to provide early warning of environmental problems, because they are the best known and documented major taxonomic group, especially in terms of the sizes and trends of populations and distributions. Common farmland birds are in decline throughout Europe, with the cumulative populations of all 33 species of farmland birds suffering a decline of 44 per cent between 1980 and 2005. For the link between vegetation dynamics and farmland birds distribution phenological indices and their spatial statistical characteristics were calculated from the time series of the SPOT Vegetation images. The farmland birds species data were selected from the European Bird Census Counsel (EBCC) Atlas of European breeding birds. Both datasets were then statistically analyzed using the Environmental Stratification of Europe. The study shows that this stratification is very appropriate to describe the spatial distribution of farmland birds. Furthermore it was shown that phenological indicators, especially the start of the growing season, the first greening up measures and the productivity measures are good indicators of the distribution of the European farmland birds and that these indicators are comparable to climatic measures. The importance of using phenological indicators is argued by the illustrated fact that phenological indicators can deliver information on the habitat on a higher spatial resolution that cannot be obtained through climatic data. This combination of information supplies indispensible measures to monitor those environmental changes that most probably lead to the reported dramatic decrease of the species.JRC.DDG.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

Ecosystem Functional Units characterized by satellite observed phenology and productivity gradients: a case study for Europe

The present study demonstrates remote sensing derived phenological and productivity indicators of ecosystem functional dynamism. The indices were derived from SPOT VEGETATION NDVI data on 1 km spatial resolution across the pan-European continent using the Phenolo approach. The phenological and productivity indices explained 78% of the variance in the European ecosystem gradient measured by bio-climatic zones. Along this gradient climatic predictors could only explain 57% of the variance in the satellite metrics. Reclassification of the bio-climatic zones into phenology and productivity related Ecosystem Functional Units (EFUs) selected five metrics related to the Cyclic and Permanent Fraction of productivity, to the Background, to the growing season start and the timing of the maximum NDVI value. Along the EFU gradient the climatic predictors explained over 90% of the variance of the remote sensing variables, 30% more than along the bio-climatic gradient. The EFUs showed strong correspondence to 14 land-cover types in Europe and the selected remote sensing metrics explained 86% of the variation in the land-cover classes. These results show that remote sensing derived parameters have tremendous potential for the quantification of ecosystem functional dynamism. Phenological and productivity metrics offer an indicator system for ecosystems that climatic indicators alone cannot manifest. Their potential to monitor the spatial pattern, status and inter-annual variability of ecosystems and vegetation cover can deliver reference status information for future assessments of the impacts of human or climate change induced ecosystem changes.JRC.H.5-Land Resources Managemen

Land Degradation Addressed by Satellite Based Long Term Vegetation Phenological Trends over Africa: Preliminary Results

Land degradation is the reduction of the capacity of land to sustain its ecosystem functions and services that support society and development. In this study we derive phenological indices from time series of Spot VEGETATON images. For the African continent, we illustrate that such metrics show observable trends that can help explaining the state and evolution of vegetative land cover due to climatic and/or anthropogenic influences and can be considered a large scale proxy adding to assessment of land degradationJRC.DDG.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

Estimating the Ecological Status and Change of Riparian Zones in Andalusia Assessed by Multi-Temporal AVHRR Datasets

The present study focuses on the development of a classification tool for riparian-use zones and the effect of Agri-Environmental measures on these areas in Andalusia, Spain. According to the Water Framework Directive by 2015 all surface waters in the EU must reach a good status, part of which is defined as ecological status. Ecological status is reflected by several criteria, among others by hydromorphological quality elements like the structure and condition of the riparian zone. Riparian zones with totally or nearly totally undisturbed structures are given high ecological status. Agri-environmental measures (AEMs) within the Rural Development Programs of the EU aim to reduce impacts on the environment from agricultural activities. Recent studies in Andalusia and elsewhere suggest that extensive land use of surrounding landscapes correspond to better status of the riparian zone. Thus AEMs promoting extensification are expected to have a positive effect on the status of the riparian zone. This status can be approximated by the amount of vegetation permanently present. Healthy riparian vegetation (trees, bushes, hedges) but also undercover left on adjacent fields where extensive agricultural practices are used will contribute to this. The permanent vegetation fraction was calculated from time series of remotely sensed images and was used (1) to classify the riparian zone in Andalusia into favourable and unfavourable status using ground observations and (2) to assess the effect of AEMs on the riparian zone. The effect of AEMs in the classified riparian zone was assessed in olive land cover classes because erosion control in olive cultivation is the most widely implemented measure in Andalusia. Results suggest that the remotely sensed permanent vegetation fraction is a good approximation of the favourable and unfavourable riparian status. Furthermore, extensification of agricultural practices in olive cultivations expressed in terms of increasing permanent vegetation cover was shown to have positive effect on the riparian zone.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

Productivity evaluation component of the proposed new European Agri-Environmental Soil Quality Indicator

A composite indicator of agri-environmental soil quality is proposed. The composite indicator consists of four sub-indicators, which have relevance either to agricultural or to environmental performance of soil These sub indicators are: A) Productivity, B) Production stability, C) Fertilizer response rate, D) Soil environmental quality In our current paper we introduce the methodology and first results of the evaluation of soil productivity in the European Union on the continental scale.JRC.DDG.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

European farmland bird distribution explained by remotely sensed phenological indices.

Birds are important components of biodiversity conservation since they are capable of indicating changes in the general status of wildlife and of the countryside. The Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBM) has been launched by the BirdLife Partnership in Europe, where the European Bird Census Council has been collecting data from 20 independent breeding bird survey programs across Europe over the last 25 years. These data show dramatic declines in European farmland birds. We suggest that seasonal characteristics of vegetation cover derived from high temporal resolution remote sensing images could facilitate the monitoring the suitability of farmland bird habitats, and that these indicators may be a better choice for monitoring than climate data. We used redundancy analysis to link the PECBM data of the estimated number of farmland birds in Europe to a set of phenological and climatic indicators and to the biogeographic regions of Europe. Variance partitioning was used to account for the variation explained by the phenological and climate variables and by the area of the environmental strata individually, to define the pure effect of the variables, and to extract the total explained variance. The analysis revealed high statistical significance (p<0.001) of the correlations between species and environment. Phenological indices explained 38% of the variance in community composition of the 23 farmland bird species, whereas climate explained 30% of the variance. After partitioning the other variables as covariables, the pure effect of phenology, climate, and environmental strata were 16%, 8%, and 16%, respectively. Based on the probability results, we suggest that phenological indicators derived from remote sensing may supply better indicators for continental scale biodiversity studies than climate only. In addition, these indicators are cost and time effective, are on continuous scale, and are readily repeatable on a large spatial coverage while supplying standardized results.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

Characterisation of productivity limitation of salt-affected lands in different climatic regions of Europe using remote sensing derived productivity indicators

Soil salinity is a global issue and one of the major causes of land degradation. The large scale monitoring of salt affected areas is therefore very important to shed light of rehabilitation measures and to avoid further land degradation. We address the productivity limitation of salt affected soils across the European continent by the usage of soil maps and high temporal resolution time series of satellite images derived from the SPOT VEGETATION sensor. Using the yearly dynamism of the vegetation signal derived from the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) we decomposed the spectral curve into its Base Fraction and Seasonal Dynamism fractions next to an index approximating Gross Primary Productivity (GPP). We observe GPP, Base Fraction and Seasonal Dynamism productivity differences of saline, sodic and not salt affected soils under croplands and grasslands in four major climatic zones of the European continent. ANOVA models and post-hoc tests of mean productivity values indicate significant productivity differences between the observed salt affected and salt free areas, between management levels of soils as well as between the saline and sodic character of the land. The analysis gives insight into the limiting effect of climate in relation to the productivity of soil affected soils. The proposed indicators are applicable on the global level, are objective, are readily repeatable with yearly updates thus might contribute to the global operational monitoring and assessment of degraded lands.JRC.H.7-Climate Risk Managemen