INS 7-2 - Using big satellites to monitor small plants: Exploring the potential of SBG-like data for monitoring grassland plant diversity

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM EDT

Location: 520A

Presenting Author(s)

HG

Hamed Gholizadeh

Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States

Co-author(s)

AD

Adam Dixon

World Wildlife Fund
KP

Kimberly Pan

Oklahoma State University
NM

Nicholas A. McMillan

Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
CR

Christian Rossi

Swiss National Park
RH

Robert G. Hamilton

The Nature Conservancy, United States
SF

Samuel D. Fuhlendorf

Oklahoma State University, United States

We have spent the last several years using hyperspectral imaging to map plant diversity in grasslands. However, most of our efforts have been limited to small or “highly manipulated” grassland experiments. To assess its potential, it is critical that we test hyperspectral imaging in naturally-assembled grasslands, which have high spatio-temporal variability. Recently, we started using fine-resolution airborne and coarse-resolution spaceborne hyperspectral data and asked whether these data can capture plant diversity in naturally-assembled grasslands. Through these efforts, it is our hope to provide a first-cut look at the potential of forthcoming spaceborne imagers, such as SBG, for monitoring grassland diversity.