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Title: Computer analysis of Landsat, Thematic Mapper imagery and existing road locations for elk habitat mapping in northern California

Abstract

We analyzed Landsat, Thermatic Mapper imagery and previously mapped, road locations to identify vegetation classes and measure elk habitat quality throughout a 350,810 hectare study area in north-central California. Computerized image classification procedures were used to identify and map 26 classes of vegetation cover and ten classes of non-vegetated land. A geographic information system was used to integrate road locations, quantify forage and cover quality ratings for vegetation types, and calculate an elk habitat quality index. Vegetation classes were aggregated into three forage quality and three cover quality ratings. Road locations were used to define corridors of low habitat quality, representing hunting pressure. Mountainous regions were dominated by conifer forest types and foothill regions were dominated by Juniper-Pine-Grass types. The valley region contained large amounts of the sage and rabbit brush types. Thirty-four percent of the western third of the study area, dominated by foothills and mountains, was classed as good habitat. By contrast the central and eastern portions of the study area, dominated by the valley region and mountains, contained a small proportion (12 percent) of the better habitats. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Department of Forestry, College of Natural Resources and Sciences, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California 95521 (United States)
  2. State of California, The Resources Agency, Department of Fish & Game, Shasta Valley Wildlife Area, 1724 Ball Mountain Road, Montague, California 96064 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
385529
Report Number(s):
CONF-960109-
Journal ID: APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 9618M0130
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 361; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: STAIF 96: space technology and applications international forum, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 7-11 Jan 1996; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, BASIC STUDIES; 44 INSTRUMENTATION, INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS; LANDSAT SATELLITES; AERIAL SURVEYING; REMOTE SENSING; RADAR; CALIFORNIA; PLANTS; IMAGE PROCESSING; TOPOGRAPHY; MAPS; DEER; IMAGE FORMING

Citation Formats

Fox, L III, and Burton, T S. Computer analysis of Landsat, Thematic Mapper imagery and existing road locations for elk habitat mapping in northern California. United States: N. p., 1996. Web. doi:10.1063/1.49868.
Fox, L III, & Burton, T S. Computer analysis of Landsat, Thematic Mapper imagery and existing road locations for elk habitat mapping in northern California. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.49868
Fox, L III, and Burton, T S. 1996. "Computer analysis of Landsat, Thematic Mapper imagery and existing road locations for elk habitat mapping in northern California". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.49868.
@article{osti_385529,
title = {Computer analysis of Landsat, Thematic Mapper imagery and existing road locations for elk habitat mapping in northern California},
author = {Fox, L III and Burton, T S},
abstractNote = {We analyzed Landsat, Thermatic Mapper imagery and previously mapped, road locations to identify vegetation classes and measure elk habitat quality throughout a 350,810 hectare study area in north-central California. Computerized image classification procedures were used to identify and map 26 classes of vegetation cover and ten classes of non-vegetated land. A geographic information system was used to integrate road locations, quantify forage and cover quality ratings for vegetation types, and calculate an elk habitat quality index. Vegetation classes were aggregated into three forage quality and three cover quality ratings. Road locations were used to define corridors of low habitat quality, representing hunting pressure. Mountainous regions were dominated by conifer forest types and foothill regions were dominated by Juniper-Pine-Grass types. The valley region contained large amounts of the sage and rabbit brush types. Thirty-four percent of the western third of the study area, dominated by foothills and mountains, was classed as good habitat. By contrast the central and eastern portions of the study area, dominated by the valley region and mountains, contained a small proportion (12 percent) of the better habitats. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}},
doi = {10.1063/1.49868},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/385529}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
number = 1,
volume = 361,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}