Publications

Potter, Christopher (2014). Regional analysis of MODIS satellite greenness trends for ecosystems of interior Alaska. GISCIENCE & REMOTE SENSING, 51(4), 390-402.

Abstract
Trends in the growing season Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) time-series were analyzed for the time period from 2000 to 2010 to understand landscape-level patterns of vegetation change in ecosystems of interior Alaska. The analysis compared data-sets for Alaska vegetation cover types, wetland cover classes, wildfire boundaries since the 1940s, permafrost type, and elevation to identify the most likely combination of factors driving regional changes in habitat quality and ecosystem productivity. Approximately 48% of all ecosystem areas in interior Alaska were detected with significant (p < 0.05) positive or negative MODIS growing season EVI trends from 2000 to 2010. Three-quarters of these ecosystem areas (nearly 110,000 km(2)) were detected with significant positive growing season EVI trends. The vast majority of interior Alaska area detected with significant positive growing season EVI trends was classified as upland shrub cover, although non-forested wetlands (marshes, bogs, fens, and floodplains) were colocated on 13% of that total area. Evidence supports the hypothesis that temperature (warming) has markedly enhanced the rates of shrubland and tundra vegetation growth across interior Alaska over recent years.

DOI:
10.1080/15481603.2014.933606

ISSN:
1548-1603