Cheatgrass Across the Range of the Greater Sage-Grouse
Dates
Publication Date
2016-05-31
Time Period
2016-05-31
Citation
Kyle Larson, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Scientist, 20160531, Cheatgrass Across the Range of the Greater Sage-Grouse: .
Summary
More than 23,000 field measurements of cheatgrass cover were acquired from various agencies and research groups across the study area and reviewed for use in the mapping effort. A subset of 6650 field measurements were used to statistically evaluate relationships between cheatgrass and a suite of 50 biophysical and remotely sensed (NDVI) variables. Variables were examined for pairwise correlation and highly correlated variables were discarded from the analysis. Eighteen of the 50 variables were selected to construct a Generalized Linear Model to classify cheatgrass occurrence. A decision rule based on strength of class membership was used to classify the study area as containing either 0-2% or >2% cheatgrass cover. These classes were [...]
Summary
More than 23,000 field measurements of cheatgrass cover were acquired from various agencies and research groups across the study area and reviewed for use in the mapping effort. A subset of 6650 field measurements were used to statistically evaluate relationships between cheatgrass and a suite of 50 biophysical and remotely sensed (NDVI) variables. Variables were examined for pairwise correlation and highly correlated variables were discarded from the analysis. Eighteen of the 50 variables were selected to construct a Generalized Linear Model to classify cheatgrass occurrence. A decision rule based on strength of class membership was used to classify the study area as containing either 0-2% or >2% cheatgrass cover. These classes were chosen because they represented distinct differences in the distribution of cheatgrass cover among all field measurements. Areas of non-interest (e.g., cultivated agriculture, pasture/hay lands, urban/developed areas, water, and other non-target cover types) were reclassified in the final map.
This data was published May 2016.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) worked with US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to assemble and derive information to map cheatgrass occurrence across historic range of sage grouse. The map was developed using field measurements of cheatgrass collected by various agencies and research groups throughout the species' range, which were used to derive a predictive classification model. The map is intended to illustrate landscape scale patterns of cheatgrass invasion and help land managers prioritize conservation efforts at the species' range scale. The map depicts areas of 0-2% and >2% cheatgrass cover, as predicted by the model.
