Combining MSS and AVHRR imagery to assess vegetation biomass and dynamics in an arid pastoral ecosystem, Turkana District, Kenya

Conference · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Bull. Ecol. Soc. Am.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5944437

Ellis, J E; Swift, D M; Hart, T C; Dick, O B

Landsat multi-spectral scanner (MSS) imagery was used to develop a vegetation type-biomass map of the 84,000 Km/sup 2/ Turkana District, Kenya. NOAA satellite advanced very high resolution radiometry (AVHRR) imagery was overlaid on the MSS map to trace the seasonal and annual dynamics of vegetation communities used by Turkana pastoral nomads, 1981-1984. Four regions (sub-sectional territories) were compared with respect to peak herbaceous biomass, woody canopy cover, and seasonal fluxes in total green biomass. Results demonstrated major variations among regions and between wet and dry season ranges within regions. Pastoral land use patterns appear to minimize effects of seasonal vegetation fluxes on livestock herds.

• Research Organization: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (US); Fellanger-Wideroe A.S., Oslo, NO
• OSTI ID: 5944437
• Report Number(s): CONF-870835-
• Journal Information: Bull. Ecol. Soc. Am.; (United States), Vol. 68:3; Conference: 72. annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Columbus, OH, USA, 9 Aug 1987
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
KENYA
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
MAPPING
CANOPIES
FORESTS
LAND USE
LANDSAT SATELLITES
PLANT GROWTH
POPULATION DYNAMICS
REMOTE SENSING
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
AFRICA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ECOSYSTEMS
GROWTH
SATELLITES
VARIATIONS
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)
510100 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)