Remote sensing & GIS

Increasingly, we're investigating changes over large parts of the world in different ecosystems. Understanding how and why large scale changes are occurring across the landscape is critical for management of environments and informing relevant policy. Also, such large scale changes, particularly to vegetation communities, can provide understanding of some of the pressures on dependent animals. There are more and more sophisticated tools for investigating our environments at a landscape scale.

Projects

Mangrove response to climatic variability

In the north of Australia, both a seaward and landward movement of mangroves has been observed from time-series of Landsat sensor data and aerial photography.

Using radar satellite imagery to detect and monitor flooding

Across much of Australia, inundation is seasonally variable and whilst areas of open water can be detected using optical remote sensing data (Landsat or MODIS, for example), inundation beneath vegetation is often difficult to discern.

Supporting continental retrieval of vegetation biophysical attributes

Research conducted to date has established that retrieval of above ground biomass from the L-band backscatter data is optimal when surface conditions are relatively dry and that the level of saturation with respect to biomass can be increased using such data.

The injune landscape collaborative project

The ILCP is recognised internationally as a key site (and one of only a few located in woodlands and open forests) that has facilitated the development of new algorithms for retrieving biophysical attributes and detecting change.

Tree species shifts in response to environmental change

In tropical and subtropical savannas of Australia, changes in the tree species composition occur within 'intact' woodlands in response to human-related activities.

Regrowth mapping

Within the Brigalow Belt Bioregion, less than 10 per cent of the 12 regional ecosystems dominated by brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) remain and hence all are considered to be endangered.