2020
|
Carvalho, Raquel; de Aguiar, Ana Paula Dutra; Amaral, Silvana: Diversity of cattle raising systems and its effects over forest regrowth in a core region of cattle production in the Brazilian Amazon. In: Regional Environmental Change, vol. 20, no. 2, 2020. @article{Carvalho2020,
title = {Diversity of cattle raising systems and its effects over forest regrowth in a core region of cattle production in the Brazilian Amazon},
author = {Raquel Carvalho and Ana Paula Dutra de Aguiar and Silvana Amaral },
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10113-020-01626-5},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-020-01626-5},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-03-26},
journal = {Regional Environmental Change},
volume = {20},
number = {2},
abstract = {Roughly 60% of all deforested lands in the Brazilian Amazon are covered with pastures, putting cattle raising in evidence as a major driver of deforestation and also of forests’ regrowth. Still, the role of cattle raising diversity in the landscape dynamics of this region remains poorly understood. To contribute to this discussion, we combined data from semi-structured interviews and quantitative spatially explicit methods to characterize and spatialize cattle raising systems and explore the effects of this diversity over secondary vegetation between 2004 and 2014 in Pará, a hotspot of deforestation and core region of cattle production. We quantified the use of different pasture management strategies to classify small- and large-scale operations into systems with high or low impact against pastures’ degradation. High-impact systems were mapped in regions with consolidated infrastructure and high accumulated deforestation, where they expanded. On the contrary, low-impact systems were more widespread and found near forest frontiers, shrinking over time. High-impact systems had less secondary vegetation, while under low-impact systems, as a result of strategies with little or no effect against degradation, the historical pattern of concentration of this cover prevailed. Better infrastructure and access to markets as well as higher accumulated deforestation are underlying conditions related to the emergence of intensification and, as it is still unclear whether intensification is indeed capable of sparing land, the expansion of intensive cattle raising systems has the potential to configure landscapes with reduced forested areas, either primary or secondary.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Roughly 60% of all deforested lands in the Brazilian Amazon are covered with pastures, putting cattle raising in evidence as a major driver of deforestation and also of forests’ regrowth. Still, the role of cattle raising diversity in the landscape dynamics of this region remains poorly understood. To contribute to this discussion, we combined data from semi-structured interviews and quantitative spatially explicit methods to characterize and spatialize cattle raising systems and explore the effects of this diversity over secondary vegetation between 2004 and 2014 in Pará, a hotspot of deforestation and core region of cattle production. We quantified the use of different pasture management strategies to classify small- and large-scale operations into systems with high or low impact against pastures’ degradation. High-impact systems were mapped in regions with consolidated infrastructure and high accumulated deforestation, where they expanded. On the contrary, low-impact systems were more widespread and found near forest frontiers, shrinking over time. High-impact systems had less secondary vegetation, while under low-impact systems, as a result of strategies with little or no effect against degradation, the historical pattern of concentration of this cover prevailed. Better infrastructure and access to markets as well as higher accumulated deforestation are underlying conditions related to the emergence of intensification and, as it is still unclear whether intensification is indeed capable of sparing land, the expansion of intensive cattle raising systems has the potential to configure landscapes with reduced forested areas, either primary or secondary. |
Spawn, S A; Gibbs, H K: Global Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Carbon Density Maps for the Year 2010. 2020. @misc{https://doi.org/10.3334/ornldaac/1763,
title = {Global Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Carbon Density Maps for the Year 2010},
author = {S A Spawn and H K Gibbs},
url = {https://daac.ornl.gov/cgi-bin/dsviewer.pl?ds_id=1763},
doi = {10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1763},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-03-05},
publisher = {ORNL Distributed Active Archive Center},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {misc}
}
|
Rausch, Lisa L; Munger, Jacob; Gibbs, Holly: Amazon deforestation linked to European imports via specially licensed ranches and their suppliers. In: Gibbs Land Use and Environment Report Series, 2020. @article{Rausch2020b,
title = {Amazon deforestation linked to European imports via specially licensed ranches and their suppliers},
author = {Lisa L Rausch and Jacob Munger and Holly Gibbs},
url = {http://www.gibbs-lab.com/wp-content/uploads/SISBOV_report_March_2020.pdf},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-03-02},
journal = {Gibbs Land Use and Environment Report Series},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
|
Patz, Jonathan A; Stull, Valerie J; Limaye, Vijay S: A Low-Carbon Future Could Improve Global Health and Achieve Economic Benefits. In: JAMA, vol. 323, no. 13, pp. 1247-1248, 2020, ISSN: 0098-7484. @article{10.1001/jama.2020.1313,
title = {A Low-Carbon Future Could Improve Global Health and Achieve Economic Benefits},
author = {Jonathan A Patz and Valerie J Stull and Vijay S Limaye},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.1313},
doi = {10.1001/jama.2020.1313},
issn = {0098-7484},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-02-28},
journal = {JAMA},
volume = {323},
number = {13},
pages = {1247-1248},
abstract = {The 25th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Madrid ended in December 2019, with disappointingly little progress. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lamented, “The international community lost an important opportunity to show increased ambition on mitigation, adaptation and finance to tackle the climate crisis.”This political gridlock has occurred despite scientific reports that have highlighted the urgency of actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuel burning and large-scale deforestation. The planet has warmed approximately 2 °F since preindustrial times, and 2019 was the second warmest year on record.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The 25th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Madrid ended in December 2019, with disappointingly little progress. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lamented, “The international community lost an important opportunity to show increased ambition on mitigation, adaptation and finance to tackle the climate crisis.”This political gridlock has occurred despite scientific reports that have highlighted the urgency of actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuel burning and large-scale deforestation. The planet has warmed approximately 2 °F since preindustrial times, and 2019 was the second warmest year on record. |
Rausch, Lisa L; Munger, Jacob; Schelly, Ian; Gibbs, Holly: The role of Brazil’s cattle sector in the 2019 fire season. In: Gibbs Land Use and Environment Report Series, 2020. @article{Rausch2020bb,
title = {The role of Brazil’s cattle sector in the 2019 fire season},
author = {Lisa L Rausch and Jacob Munger and Ian Schelly and Holly Gibbs},
url = {http://www.gibbs-lab.com/wp-content/uploads/Cattle_sector_fire_report_2020.pdf},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-02-28},
journal = {Gibbs Land Use and Environment Report Series},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
|
Soto-Navarro, C; Ravilious, C; Arnell, A; de Lamo, X; Harfoot, M; Hill, S L L; Wearn, O R; Santoro, M; Bouvet, A; Mermoz, S; Toan, T Le; Xia, J; Liu, S; Yuan, W; Spawn, S A; Gibbs, H K; Ferrier, S; Harwood, T; Alkemade, R; Schipper, A M; Schmidt-Traub, G; Strassburg, B; Miles, L; Burgess, N D; Kapos, V: Mapping co-benefits for carbon storage and biodiversity to inform conservation policy and action. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 375, no. 1794, pp. 20190128, 2020. @article{doi:10.1098/rstb.2019.0128,
title = {Mapping co-benefits for carbon storage and biodiversity to inform conservation policy and action},
author = {C Soto-Navarro and C Ravilious and A Arnell and X de Lamo and M Harfoot and S L L Hill and O R Wearn and M Santoro and A Bouvet and S Mermoz and T Le Toan and J Xia and S Liu and W Yuan and S A Spawn and H K Gibbs and S Ferrier and T Harwood and R Alkemade and A M Schipper and G Schmidt-Traub and B Strassburg and L Miles and N D Burgess and V Kapos},
url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rstb.2019.0128},
doi = {10.1098/rstb.2019.0128},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-27},
journal = {Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences},
volume = {375},
number = {1794},
pages = {20190128},
abstract = {Integrated high-resolution maps of carbon stocks and biodiversity that identify areas of potential co-benefits for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation can help facilitate the implementation of global climate and biodiversity commitments at local levels. However, the multi-dimensional nature of biodiversity presents a major challenge for understanding, mapping and communicating where and how biodiversity benefits coincide with climate benefits. A new integrated approach to biodiversity is therefore needed. Here, we (a) present a new high-resolution map of global above- and below-ground carbon stored in biomass and soil, (b) quantify biodiversity values using two complementary indices (BIp and BIr) representing proactive and reactive approaches to conservation, and (c) examine patterns of carbon–biodiversity overlap by identifying 'hotspots' (20% highest values for both aspects). Our indices integrate local diversity and ecosystem intactness, as well as regional ecosystem intactness across the broader area supporting a similar natural assemblage of species to the location of interest. The western Amazon Basin, Central Africa and Southeast Asia capture the last strongholds of highest local biodiversity and ecosystem intactness worldwide, while the last refuges for unique biological communities whose habitats have been greatly reduced are mostly found in the tropical Andes and central Sundaland. There is 38 and 5% overlap in carbon and biodiversity hotspots, for proactive and reactive conservation, respectively. Alarmingly, only around 12 and 21% of these proactive and reactive hotspot areas, respectively, are formally protected. This highlights that a coupled approach is urgently needed to help achieve both climate and biodiversity global targets. This would involve (1) restoring and conserving unprotected, degraded ecosystems, particularly in the Neotropics and Indomalaya, and (2) retaining the remaining strongholds of intactness. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities and solutions’.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Integrated high-resolution maps of carbon stocks and biodiversity that identify areas of potential co-benefits for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation can help facilitate the implementation of global climate and biodiversity commitments at local levels. However, the multi-dimensional nature of biodiversity presents a major challenge for understanding, mapping and communicating where and how biodiversity benefits coincide with climate benefits. A new integrated approach to biodiversity is therefore needed. Here, we (a) present a new high-resolution map of global above- and below-ground carbon stored in biomass and soil, (b) quantify biodiversity values using two complementary indices (BIp and BIr) representing proactive and reactive approaches to conservation, and (c) examine patterns of carbon–biodiversity overlap by identifying 'hotspots' (20% highest values for both aspects). Our indices integrate local diversity and ecosystem intactness, as well as regional ecosystem intactness across the broader area supporting a similar natural assemblage of species to the location of interest. The western Amazon Basin, Central Africa and Southeast Asia capture the last strongholds of highest local biodiversity and ecosystem intactness worldwide, while the last refuges for unique biological communities whose habitats have been greatly reduced are mostly found in the tropical Andes and central Sundaland. There is 38 and 5% overlap in carbon and biodiversity hotspots, for proactive and reactive conservation, respectively. Alarmingly, only around 12 and 21% of these proactive and reactive hotspot areas, respectively, are formally protected. This highlights that a coupled approach is urgently needed to help achieve both climate and biodiversity global targets. This would involve (1) restoring and conserving unprotected, degraded ecosystems, particularly in the Neotropics and Indomalaya, and (2) retaining the remaining strongholds of intactness. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities and solutions’. |
Anderson, Scott; Barford, Carol; Barford, Paul: Five Alarms: Assessing the Vulnerability of US Cellular Communication Infrastructure to Wildfires. In: Proceedings of the ACM Internet Measurement Conference, pp. 162–175, Association for Computing Machinery, Virtual Event, USA, 2020, ISBN: 9781450381383. @inproceedings{10.1145/3419394.3423663,
title = {Five Alarms: Assessing the Vulnerability of US Cellular Communication Infrastructure to Wildfires},
author = {Scott Anderson and Carol Barford and Paul Barford},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3419394.3423663},
doi = {10.1145/3419394.3423663},
isbn = {9781450381383},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the ACM Internet Measurement Conference},
pages = {162–175},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Virtual Event, USA},
series = {IMC '20},
abstract = {Natural disasters can wreak havoc on Internet infrastructure. Short term impacts include impediments to first responders and long term impacts include requirements to repair or replace damaged physical components. In this paper, we present an analysis of the vulnerability of cellular communication infrastructure in the US to one type of natural disaster - wildfires. Three data sets are the basis for our study: historical wildfire records, wildfire risk projections, and cellular infrastructure deployment. We utilize the geographic features in each data set to assess the spatial overlap between historical wildfires and cellular infrastructure and to analyze current vulnerability. We find wide variability in the number of cell transceivers that were within wildfire perimeters over the past 18 years. In a focused analysis of the California wildfires of 2019, we find that the primary risk to cellular communication is power outage rather than cellular equipment damage. Our analysis of future risk based on wildfire hazard potential identifies California, Florida and Texas as the three states with the largest number of cell transceivers at risk. Importantly, we find that many of the areas at high risk are quite close to urban population centers, thus outages could have serious impacts on a large number of cell users. We believe that our study has important implications for governmental communication assurance efforts and for risk planning by cell infrastructure owners and service providers.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Natural disasters can wreak havoc on Internet infrastructure. Short term impacts include impediments to first responders and long term impacts include requirements to repair or replace damaged physical components. In this paper, we present an analysis of the vulnerability of cellular communication infrastructure in the US to one type of natural disaster - wildfires. Three data sets are the basis for our study: historical wildfire records, wildfire risk projections, and cellular infrastructure deployment. We utilize the geographic features in each data set to assess the spatial overlap between historical wildfires and cellular infrastructure and to analyze current vulnerability. We find wide variability in the number of cell transceivers that were within wildfire perimeters over the past 18 years. In a focused analysis of the California wildfires of 2019, we find that the primary risk to cellular communication is power outage rather than cellular equipment damage. Our analysis of future risk based on wildfire hazard potential identifies California, Florida and Texas as the three states with the largest number of cell transceivers at risk. Importantly, we find that many of the areas at high risk are quite close to urban population centers, thus outages could have serious impacts on a large number of cell users. We believe that our study has important implications for governmental communication assurance efforts and for risk planning by cell infrastructure owners and service providers. |
Burivalova, Zuzana; Game, Edward T; Wahyudi, Bambang; Ruslandi,; Rifqi, Mohamad; MacDonald, Ewan; Cushman, Samuel; Voigt, Maria; Wich, Serge; Wilcove, David S: Does biodiversity benefit when the logging stops? An analysis of conservation risks and opportunities in active versus inactive logging concessions in Borneo. In: Biological Conservation, vol. 241, pp. 108369, 2020, ISSN: 0006-3207. @article{BURIVALOVA2020108369,
title = {Does biodiversity benefit when the logging stops? An analysis of conservation risks and opportunities in active versus inactive logging concessions in Borneo},
author = {Zuzana Burivalova and Edward T Game and Bambang Wahyudi and Ruslandi and Mohamad Rifqi and Ewan MacDonald and Samuel Cushman and Maria Voigt and Serge Wich and David S Wilcove},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320719309085},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108369},
issn = {0006-3207},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {Biological Conservation},
volume = {241},
pages = {108369},
abstract = {The island of Borneo is a biodiversity hotspot of global importance that continues to suffer from one of the highest deforestation rates in the tropics. Selective logging concessions overlay a third of the remaining natural forests in the Indonesian part of Borneo, but many of these concessions have become inactive in recent years. Whereas the cessation of logging could be beneficial to biodiversity, the absence of a logging company's presence in the forest could also leave the concession open to deforestation by other actors. Using remote sensing analyses, we evaluate 1) whether inactive concessions are more likely to suffer from deforestation than active ones, 2) the possible reasons why concessions become inactive, and 3) which inactive concessions hold the most potential for biodiversity conservation, if protected from deforestation. Our analysis shows that, counterintuitively, inactive concessions overall suffer a higher rate of forest loss than active ones. We find that small concession size and high elevation are correlated with inactive status. We identified several inactive concessions that, if maintained as natural forest, could significantly contribute to biodiversity conservation, as exemplified by their importance to two umbrella species: Bornean orangutan (Critically Endangered) and Sunda clouded leopard (Vulnerable). Because timber operations in other tropical regions are likely to experience similar cycles of activity and inactivity, the fate of inactive timber concessions and the opportunities they create for conservation deserve much greater attention from conservation scientists and practitioners.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The island of Borneo is a biodiversity hotspot of global importance that continues to suffer from one of the highest deforestation rates in the tropics. Selective logging concessions overlay a third of the remaining natural forests in the Indonesian part of Borneo, but many of these concessions have become inactive in recent years. Whereas the cessation of logging could be beneficial to biodiversity, the absence of a logging company's presence in the forest could also leave the concession open to deforestation by other actors. Using remote sensing analyses, we evaluate 1) whether inactive concessions are more likely to suffer from deforestation than active ones, 2) the possible reasons why concessions become inactive, and 3) which inactive concessions hold the most potential for biodiversity conservation, if protected from deforestation. Our analysis shows that, counterintuitively, inactive concessions overall suffer a higher rate of forest loss than active ones. We find that small concession size and high elevation are correlated with inactive status. We identified several inactive concessions that, if maintained as natural forest, could significantly contribute to biodiversity conservation, as exemplified by their importance to two umbrella species: Bornean orangutan (Critically Endangered) and Sunda clouded leopard (Vulnerable). Because timber operations in other tropical regions are likely to experience similar cycles of activity and inactivity, the fate of inactive timber concessions and the opportunities they create for conservation deserve much greater attention from conservation scientists and practitioners. |
Lark, Tyler J: Protecting our prairies: Research and policy actions for conserving America’s grasslands. In: Land Use Policy, vol. 97, pp. 104727, 2020, ISSN: 0264-8377. @article{LARK2020104727,
title = {Protecting our prairies: Research and policy actions for conserving America’s grasslands},
author = {Tyler J Lark},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837717310372},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104727},
issn = {0264-8377},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {Land Use Policy},
volume = {97},
pages = {104727},
abstract = {Grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. They supply vital resources for society, support an abundance of wildlife species, and store rich carbon reserves beneath their surfaces. Despite this, only a fraction of original grasslands in the United States now remains, and their rate of conversion to cropland has recently reaccelerated. This paper discusses opportunities that are immediately available to reduce the loss of U.S. native grasslands (i.e., prairie) and advance toward collective goals in grassland conservation. Potential solution-oriented actions include inventorying and monitoring remaining prairie, reconsidering public and private incentives for conversion and conservation, and establishing an industry-led moratorium on natural ecosystem loss. There is also a need among the engaged communities to develop unified messaging and a shared vision for grassland conservation in the U.S., such as “no prairie conversion” or “zero net loss of grasslands.” Additional tangible steps for action are outlined across the science, policy, and public-driven support arenas and offered for multiple stakeholder groups, including agricultural producers, policymakers, academics, and conservation organizations.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. They supply vital resources for society, support an abundance of wildlife species, and store rich carbon reserves beneath their surfaces. Despite this, only a fraction of original grasslands in the United States now remains, and their rate of conversion to cropland has recently reaccelerated. This paper discusses opportunities that are immediately available to reduce the loss of U.S. native grasslands (i.e., prairie) and advance toward collective goals in grassland conservation. Potential solution-oriented actions include inventorying and monitoring remaining prairie, reconsidering public and private incentives for conversion and conservation, and establishing an industry-led moratorium on natural ecosystem loss. There is also a need among the engaged communities to develop unified messaging and a shared vision for grassland conservation in the U.S., such as “no prairie conversion” or “zero net loss of grasslands.” Additional tangible steps for action are outlined across the science, policy, and public-driven support arenas and offered for multiple stakeholder groups, including agricultural producers, policymakers, academics, and conservation organizations. |
Yin, He; Junior, Amintas Brandão; Buchner, Johanna; Helmers, David; Iuliano, Ben; Kimambo, Niwaeli; Lewińska, Katarzyna; Razenkova, Elena; Rizayeva, Afag; Rogova, Natalia; Spawn-Lee, Seth; Xie, Yanhua; Radeloff, Volker: Monitoring cropland abandonment with Landsat time series. In: Remote Sensing of Environment, vol. 246, pp. 111873, 2020. @article{article,
title = {Monitoring cropland abandonment with Landsat time series},
author = {He Yin and Amintas Brandão Junior and Johanna Buchner and David Helmers and Ben Iuliano and Niwaeli Kimambo and Katarzyna Lewińska and Elena Razenkova and Afag Rizayeva and Natalia Rogova and Seth Spawn-Lee and Yanhua Xie and Volker Radeloff},
doi = {10.1016/j.rse.2020.111873},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {Remote Sensing of Environment},
volume = {246},
pages = {111873},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
|
Klemun, Magdalena M.; Edwards, Morgan R.; Trancik, Jessika E.: Research priorities for supporting subnational climate policies. In: WIREs Climate Change, vol. 11, no. 6, pp. e646, 2020. @article{https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.646,
title = {Research priorities for supporting subnational climate policies},
author = {Magdalena M. Klemun and Morgan R. Edwards and Jessika E. Trancik},
url = {https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/wcc.646},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.646},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {WIREs Climate Change},
volume = {11},
number = {6},
pages = {e646},
abstract = {Abstract Growing momentum for decentralized climate policy and the falling costs of low-carbon technologies are creating new climate change mitigation opportunities for subnational actors. Here we discuss how research can best support these subnational efforts to allow limited resources to stretch further. To stimulate this discussion, we identify four research priorities. (1) Innovation mechanisms examines local policy opportunities for technology improvement to achieve high returns on investments. (2) Co-benefits analyzes the non-climate benefits of emissions reductions to highlight how local policies can affect communities directly. (3) Emissions monitoring develops rapid, low-cost, local measurement strategies to allow communities to assess and weigh in on the emissions impacts of local energy systems. (4) Decision levers reframes large-scale analyses into more targeted and actionable metrics for local policy decisions. This piece was informed and inspired by a set of interviews we conducted with representatives in business, government, NGOs, and educational institutions actively engaged in local climate action, and by our own research. This article is categorized under: The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Policies, Instruments, Lifestyles, Behavior Policy and Governance > Private Governance of Climate Change},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract Growing momentum for decentralized climate policy and the falling costs of low-carbon technologies are creating new climate change mitigation opportunities for subnational actors. Here we discuss how research can best support these subnational efforts to allow limited resources to stretch further. To stimulate this discussion, we identify four research priorities. (1) Innovation mechanisms examines local policy opportunities for technology improvement to achieve high returns on investments. (2) Co-benefits analyzes the non-climate benefits of emissions reductions to highlight how local policies can affect communities directly. (3) Emissions monitoring develops rapid, low-cost, local measurement strategies to allow communities to assess and weigh in on the emissions impacts of local energy systems. (4) Decision levers reframes large-scale analyses into more targeted and actionable metrics for local policy decisions. This piece was informed and inspired by a set of interviews we conducted with representatives in business, government, NGOs, and educational institutions actively engaged in local climate action, and by our own research. This article is categorized under: The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Policies, Instruments, Lifestyles, Behavior Policy and Governance > Private Governance of Climate Change |
Lark, Tyler J.: Protecting our prairies: Research and policy actions for conserving America’s grasslands. In: Land Use Policy, vol. 97, pp. 104727, 2020, ISSN: 0264-8377. @article{LARK2020104727b,
title = {Protecting our prairies: Research and policy actions for conserving America’s grasslands},
author = {Tyler J. Lark},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837717310372},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104727},
issn = {0264-8377},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {Land Use Policy},
volume = {97},
pages = {104727},
abstract = {Grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. They supply vital resources for society, support an abundance of wildlife species, and store rich carbon reserves beneath their surfaces. Despite this, only a fraction of original grasslands in the United States now remains, and their rate of conversion to cropland has recently reaccelerated. This paper discusses opportunities that are immediately available to reduce the loss of U.S. native grasslands (i.e., prairie) and advance toward collective goals in grassland conservation. Potential solution-oriented actions include inventorying and monitoring remaining prairie, reconsidering public and private incentives for conversion and conservation, and establishing an industry-led moratorium on natural ecosystem loss. There is also a need among the engaged communities to develop unified messaging and a shared vision for grassland conservation in the U.S., such as “no prairie conversion” or “zero net loss of grasslands.” Additional tangible steps for action are outlined across the science, policy, and public-driven support arenas and offered for multiple stakeholder groups, including agricultural producers, policymakers, academics, and conservation organizations.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. They supply vital resources for society, support an abundance of wildlife species, and store rich carbon reserves beneath their surfaces. Despite this, only a fraction of original grasslands in the United States now remains, and their rate of conversion to cropland has recently reaccelerated. This paper discusses opportunities that are immediately available to reduce the loss of U.S. native grasslands (i.e., prairie) and advance toward collective goals in grassland conservation. Potential solution-oriented actions include inventorying and monitoring remaining prairie, reconsidering public and private incentives for conversion and conservation, and establishing an industry-led moratorium on natural ecosystem loss. There is also a need among the engaged communities to develop unified messaging and a shared vision for grassland conservation in the U.S., such as “no prairie conversion” or “zero net loss of grasslands.” Additional tangible steps for action are outlined across the science, policy, and public-driven support arenas and offered for multiple stakeholder groups, including agricultural producers, policymakers, academics, and conservation organizations. |
2019
|
Cui, Ryna Yiyun; Hultman, Nathan; Edwards, Morgan R.; He, Linlang; Sen, Arijit; Surana, Kavita; McJeon, Haewon; Iyer, Gokul; Patel, Pralit; Yu, Sha; Nace, Ted; Shearer, Christine: Quantifying operational lifetimes for coal power plants under the Paris goals. In: Nature Communications, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 4759, 2019, ISSN: 2041-1723. @article{Cui2019,
title = {Quantifying operational lifetimes for coal power plants under the Paris goals},
author = {Ryna Yiyun Cui and Nathan Hultman and Morgan R. Edwards and Linlang He and Arijit Sen and Kavita Surana and Haewon McJeon and Gokul Iyer and Pralit Patel and Sha Yu and Ted Nace and Christine Shearer},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12618-3},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-019-12618-3},
issn = {2041-1723},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-10-18},
journal = {Nature Communications},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {4759},
abstract = {A rapid transition away from unabated coal use is essential to fulfilling the Paris climate goals. However, many countries are actively building and operating coal power plants. Here we use plant-level data to specify alternative trajectories for coal technologies in an integrated assessment model. We then quantify cost-effective retirement pathways for global and country-level coal fleets to limit long-term temperature change. We present our results using a decision-relevant metric: the operational lifetime limit. Even if no new plants are built, the lifetimes of existing units are reduced to approximately 35 years in a well-below 2thinspacetextdegreeC scenario or 20 years in a 1.5thinspacetextdegreeC scenario. The risk of continued coal expansion, including the near-term growth permitted in some Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), is large. The lifetime limits for both 2thinspacetextdegreeC and 1.5thinspacetextdegreeC are reduced by 5 years if plants under construction come online and 10 years if all proposed projects are built.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
A rapid transition away from unabated coal use is essential to fulfilling the Paris climate goals. However, many countries are actively building and operating coal power plants. Here we use plant-level data to specify alternative trajectories for coal technologies in an integrated assessment model. We then quantify cost-effective retirement pathways for global and country-level coal fleets to limit long-term temperature change. We present our results using a decision-relevant metric: the operational lifetime limit. Even if no new plants are built, the lifetimes of existing units are reduced to approximately 35 years in a well-below 2thinspacetextdegreeC scenario or 20 years in a 1.5thinspacetextdegreeC scenario. The risk of continued coal expansion, including the near-term growth permitted in some Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), is large. The lifetime limits for both 2thinspacetextdegreeC and 1.5thinspacetextdegreeC are reduced by 5 years if plants under construction come online and 10 years if all proposed projects are built. |
Diao, Minghui; Holloway, Tracey; Choi, Seohyun; O’Neill, Susan M; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad Z; Donkelaar, Aaron Van; Martin, Randall V; Jin, Xiaomeng; Fiore, Arlene M; Henze, Daven K; Lacey, Forrest; Kinney, Patrick L; Freedman, Frank; Larkin, Narasimhan K; Zou, Yufei; Kelly, James T; Vaidyanathan, Ambarish: Methods, availability, and applications of PM2.5 exposure estimates derived from ground measurements, satellite, and atmospheric models. In: Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, vol. 69, no. 12, pp. 1391-1414, 2019. @article{doi:10.1080/10962247.2019.1668498,
title = {Methods, availability, and applications of PM2.5 exposure estimates derived from ground measurements, satellite, and atmospheric models},
author = {Minghui Diao and Tracey Holloway and Seohyun Choi and Susan M O’Neill and Mohammad Z Al-Hamdan and Aaron Van Donkelaar and Randall V Martin and Xiaomeng Jin and Arlene M Fiore and Daven K Henze and Forrest Lacey and Patrick L Kinney and Frank Freedman and Narasimhan K Larkin and Yufei Zou and James T Kelly and Ambarish Vaidyanathan},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2019.1668498},
doi = {10.1080/10962247.2019.1668498},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-10-15},
journal = {Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association},
volume = {69},
number = {12},
pages = {1391-1414},
publisher = {Taylor & Francis},
abstract = {ABSTRACTFine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a well-established risk factor for public health. To support both health risk assessment and epidemiological studies, data are needed on spatial and temporal patterns of PM2.5 exposures. This review article surveys publicly available exposure datasets for surface PM2.5 mass concentrations over the contiguous U.S., summarizes their applications and limitations, and provides suggestions on future research needs. The complex landscape of satellite instruments, model capabilities, monitor networks, and data synthesis methods offers opportunities for research development, but would benefit from guidance for new users. Guidance is provided to access publicly available PM2.5 datasets, to explain and compare different approaches for dataset generation, and to identify sources of uncertainties associated with various types of datasets. Three main sources used to create PM2.5 exposure data are ground-based measurements (especially regulatory monitoring), satellite retrievals (especially aerosol optical depth, AOD), and atmospheric chemistry models. We find inconsistencies among several publicly available PM2.5 estimates, highlighting uncertainties in the exposure datasets that are often overlooked in health effects analyses. Major differences among PM2.5 estimates emerge from the choice of data (ground-based, satellite, and/or model), the spatiotemporal resolutions, and the algorithms used to fuse data sources.Implications: Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has large impacts on human morbidity and mortality. Even though the methods for generating the PM2.5 exposure estimates have been significantly improved in recent years, there is a lack of review articles that document PM2.5 exposure datasets that are publicly available and easily accessible by the health and air quality communities. In this article, we discuss the main methods that generate PM2.5 data, compare several publicly available datasets, and show the applications of various data fusion approaches. Guidance to access and critique these datasets are provided for stakeholders in public health sectors.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACTFine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a well-established risk factor for public health. To support both health risk assessment and epidemiological studies, data are needed on spatial and temporal patterns of PM2.5 exposures. This review article surveys publicly available exposure datasets for surface PM2.5 mass concentrations over the contiguous U.S., summarizes their applications and limitations, and provides suggestions on future research needs. The complex landscape of satellite instruments, model capabilities, monitor networks, and data synthesis methods offers opportunities for research development, but would benefit from guidance for new users. Guidance is provided to access publicly available PM2.5 datasets, to explain and compare different approaches for dataset generation, and to identify sources of uncertainties associated with various types of datasets. Three main sources used to create PM2.5 exposure data are ground-based measurements (especially regulatory monitoring), satellite retrievals (especially aerosol optical depth, AOD), and atmospheric chemistry models. We find inconsistencies among several publicly available PM2.5 estimates, highlighting uncertainties in the exposure datasets that are often overlooked in health effects analyses. Major differences among PM2.5 estimates emerge from the choice of data (ground-based, satellite, and/or model), the spatiotemporal resolutions, and the algorithms used to fuse data sources.Implications: Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has large impacts on human morbidity and mortality. Even though the methods for generating the PM2.5 exposure estimates have been significantly improved in recent years, there is a lack of review articles that document PM2.5 exposure datasets that are publicly available and easily accessible by the health and air quality communities. In this article, we discuss the main methods that generate PM2.5 data, compare several publicly available datasets, and show the applications of various data fusion approaches. Guidance to access and critique these datasets are provided for stakeholders in public health sectors. |
Spawn, Seth A; Lark, Tyler J; Gibbs, Holly K: Carbon emissions from cropland expansion in the United States. In: Environmental Research Letters, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 045009, 2019. @article{Spawn_2019,
title = {Carbon emissions from cropland expansion in the United States},
author = {Seth A Spawn and Tyler J Lark and Holly K Gibbs},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab0399},
doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/ab0399},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-04-01},
journal = {Environmental Research Letters},
volume = {14},
number = {4},
pages = {045009},
publisher = {IOP Publishing},
abstract = {After decades of decline, croplands are once again expanding across the United States. A recent spatially explicit analysis mapped nearly three million hectares of US cropland expansion that occurred between 2008 and 2012. Land use change (LUC) of this sort can be a major source of anthropogenic carbon (C) emissions, though the effects of this change have yet to be analyzed. We developed a data-driven model that combines these high-resolution maps of cropland expansion with published maps of biomass and soil organic carbon stocks (SOC) to map and quantify the resulting C emissions. Our model increases emphasis on non-forest—i.e. grassland, shrubland and wetland—above and belowground biomass C stocks and the response of SOC to LUC—emission sources that are frequently neglected in traditional C accounting. These sources represent major emission conduits in the US, where new croplands primarily replace grasslands. We find that expansion between 2008–12 caused, on average, a release of 55.0 MgC ha−1 (SDspatial = 39.9 MgC ha−1), which resulted in total emissions of 38.8 TgC yr−1 (95% CI = 21.6–55.8 TgC yr−1). We also find wide geographic variation in both the size and sensitivity of affected C stocks. Grassland conversion was the primary source of emissions, with more than 90% of these emissions originating from SOC stocks. Due to the long accumulation time of SOC, its dominance as a source suggests that emissions may be difficult to mitigate over human-relevant time scales. While methodological limitations regarding the effects of land use legacies and future management remain, our findings emphasize the importance of avoiding LUC emissions and suggest potential means by which natural C stocks can be conserved.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
After decades of decline, croplands are once again expanding across the United States. A recent spatially explicit analysis mapped nearly three million hectares of US cropland expansion that occurred between 2008 and 2012. Land use change (LUC) of this sort can be a major source of anthropogenic carbon (C) emissions, though the effects of this change have yet to be analyzed. We developed a data-driven model that combines these high-resolution maps of cropland expansion with published maps of biomass and soil organic carbon stocks (SOC) to map and quantify the resulting C emissions. Our model increases emphasis on non-forest—i.e. grassland, shrubland and wetland—above and belowground biomass C stocks and the response of SOC to LUC—emission sources that are frequently neglected in traditional C accounting. These sources represent major emission conduits in the US, where new croplands primarily replace grasslands. We find that expansion between 2008–12 caused, on average, a release of 55.0 MgC ha−1 (SDspatial = 39.9 MgC ha−1), which resulted in total emissions of 38.8 TgC yr−1 (95% CI = 21.6–55.8 TgC yr−1). We also find wide geographic variation in both the size and sensitivity of affected C stocks. Grassland conversion was the primary source of emissions, with more than 90% of these emissions originating from SOC stocks. Due to the long accumulation time of SOC, its dominance as a source suggests that emissions may be difficult to mitigate over human-relevant time scales. While methodological limitations regarding the effects of land use legacies and future management remain, our findings emphasize the importance of avoiding LUC emissions and suggest potential means by which natural C stocks can be conserved. |
Abel, David W; Holloway, Tracey; Martínez-Santos, Javier; Harkey, Monica; Tao, Madankui; Kubes, Cassandra; Hayes, Sara: Air Quality-Related Health Benefits of Energy Efficiency in the United States. In: Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 53, no. 7, pp. 3987-3998, 2019. @article{doi:10.1021/acs.est.8b06417,
title = {Air Quality-Related Health Benefits of Energy Efficiency in the United States},
author = {David W Abel and Tracey Holloway and Javier Martínez-Santos and Monica Harkey and Madankui Tao and Cassandra Kubes and Sara Hayes},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b06417},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.8b06417},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-03-05},
journal = {Environmental Science & Technology},
volume = {53},
number = {7},
pages = {3987-3998},
abstract = {While it is known that energy efficiency (EE) lowers power sector demand and emissions, study of the air quality and public health impacts of EE has been limited. Here, we quantify the air quality and mortality impacts of a 12% summertime (June, July, and August) reduction in baseload electricity demand. We use the AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT) to simulate plant-level generation and emissions, the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to simulate air quality, and the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP) to quantify mortality impacts. We find EE reduces emissions of NOx by 13.2%, SO2 by 12.6%, and CO2 by 11.6%. On a nationwide, summer average basis, ambient PM2.5 is reduced 0.55% and O3 is reduced 0.45%. Reduced exposure to PM2.5 avoids 300 premature deaths annually (95% CI: 60 to 580) valued at $2.8 billion ($0.13 billion to $9.3 billion), and reduced exposure to O3 averts 175 deaths (101 to 244) valued at $1.6 billion ($0.15 billion to $4.5 billion). This translates into a health savings rate of $0.049/kWh ($0.031/kWh for PM2.5 and $0.018/kWh for O3). These results illustrate the importance of capturing the health benefits of EE and its potential as a strategy to achieve air standards.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
While it is known that energy efficiency (EE) lowers power sector demand and emissions, study of the air quality and public health impacts of EE has been limited. Here, we quantify the air quality and mortality impacts of a 12% summertime (June, July, and August) reduction in baseload electricity demand. We use the AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT) to simulate plant-level generation and emissions, the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to simulate air quality, and the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP) to quantify mortality impacts. We find EE reduces emissions of NOx by 13.2%, SO2 by 12.6%, and CO2 by 11.6%. On a nationwide, summer average basis, ambient PM2.5 is reduced 0.55% and O3 is reduced 0.45%. Reduced exposure to PM2.5 avoids 300 premature deaths annually (95% CI: 60 to 580) valued at $2.8 billion ($0.13 billion to $9.3 billion), and reduced exposure to O3 averts 175 deaths (101 to 244) valued at $1.6 billion ($0.15 billion to $4.5 billion). This translates into a health savings rate of $0.049/kWh ($0.031/kWh for PM2.5 and $0.018/kWh for O3). These results illustrate the importance of capturing the health benefits of EE and its potential as a strategy to achieve air standards. |
Stull, Valerie J; Patz, Jonathan A: Research and policy priorities for edible insects. In: Sustainability Science, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 1-13, 2019, ISBN: 1862-4057. @article{Stull2019,
title = {Research and policy priorities for edible insects},
author = {Valerie J Stull and Jonathan A Patz},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11625-019-00709-5},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-019-00709-5},
isbn = {1862-4057},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-03-01},
journal = {Sustainability Science},
volume = {15},
number = {2},
pages = {1-13},
abstract = {Global communities increasingly struggle to provide ample healthful food for growing populations in the face of social and environmental pressures. Insect agriculture is one underexplored and innovative approach. Sustainable cultivation of nutrient-dense edible insects could help boost food access, support human nutrition, and mitigate key drivers of climate change. The edible insects industry is in its nascent stages, as relatively few entities have committed resources towards optimizing farming methods. Nevertheless, insect farming is poised to benefit food insecure populations, and the planet as a whole if more targeted research and conducive policies are implemented. The purpose of this paper is to outline the state of the science regarding edible insects, define a research agenda, and recommend policy action to support the growing industry. Edible insects are not a panacea for current challenges, but they have the potential to confer numerous benefits to people and the environment. Rigorous research is needed to establish optimal farming methods, strengthen food safety, understand health impacts of consumption, explore consumer acceptance, tackle ethical considerations, and investigate economic viability. A clear definition for insects as food, industry guidance support for obtaining generally regarded as safe designation, and collaboration by industry stakeholders to develop production standards will also help move the industry forward. Generating and galvanizing knowledge sharing networks, investing in critical interdisciplinary research, and advocating for conducive policies that support emerging entrepreneurs will be necessary to capitalize on the benefits of edible insects in the future.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Global communities increasingly struggle to provide ample healthful food for growing populations in the face of social and environmental pressures. Insect agriculture is one underexplored and innovative approach. Sustainable cultivation of nutrient-dense edible insects could help boost food access, support human nutrition, and mitigate key drivers of climate change. The edible insects industry is in its nascent stages, as relatively few entities have committed resources towards optimizing farming methods. Nevertheless, insect farming is poised to benefit food insecure populations, and the planet as a whole if more targeted research and conducive policies are implemented. The purpose of this paper is to outline the state of the science regarding edible insects, define a research agenda, and recommend policy action to support the growing industry. Edible insects are not a panacea for current challenges, but they have the potential to confer numerous benefits to people and the environment. Rigorous research is needed to establish optimal farming methods, strengthen food safety, understand health impacts of consumption, explore consumer acceptance, tackle ethical considerations, and investigate economic viability. A clear definition for insects as food, industry guidance support for obtaining generally regarded as safe designation, and collaboration by industry stakeholders to develop production standards will also help move the industry forward. Generating and galvanizing knowledge sharing networks, investing in critical interdisciplinary research, and advocating for conducive policies that support emerging entrepreneurs will be necessary to capitalize on the benefits of edible insects in the future. |
Limaye, Vijay S; Schöpp, Wolfgang; Amann, Markus: Applying Integrated Exposure-Response Functions to PM2.5 Pollution in India. In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 16, no. 1, 2019, ISSN: 1660-4601. @article{ijerph16010060,
title = {Applying Integrated Exposure-Response Functions to PM2.5 Pollution in India},
author = {Vijay S Limaye and Wolfgang Schöpp and Markus Amann},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/1/60},
doi = {10.3390/ijerph16010060},
issn = {1660-4601},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
abstract = {Fine particulate matter (PM2.5, diameter ≤2.5 μm) is implicated as the most health-damaging air pollutant. Large cohort studies of chronic exposure to PM2.5 and mortality risk are largely confined to areas with low to moderate ambient PM2.5 concentrations and posit log-linear exposure-response functions. However, levels of PM2.5 in developing countries such as India are typically much higher, causing unknown health effects. Integrated exposure-response functions for high PM2.5 exposures encompassing risk estimates from ambient air, secondhand smoke, and active smoking exposures have been posited. We apply these functions to estimate the future cause-specific mortality risks associated with population-weighted ambient PM2.5 exposures in India in 2030 using Greenhouse Gas-Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model projections. The loss in statistical life expectancy (SLE) is calculated based on risk estimates and baseline mortality rates. Losses in SLE are aggregated and weighted using national age-adjusted, cause-specific mortality rates. 2030 PM2.5 pollution in India reaches an annual mean of 74 μg/m3, nearly eight times the corresponding World Health Organization air quality guideline. The national average loss in SLE is 32.5 months (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 29.7-35.2, regional range: 8.5-42.0), compared to an average of 53.7 months (95% CI: 46.3-61.1) using methods currently applied in GAINS. Results indicate wide regional variation in health impacts, and these methods may still underestimate the total health burden caused by PM2.5 exposures due to model assumptions on minimum age thresholds of pollution effects and a limited subset of health endpoints analyzed. Application of the revised exposure-response functions suggests that the most polluted areas in India will reap major health benefits only with substantial improvements in air quality.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5, diameter ≤2.5 μm) is implicated as the most health-damaging air pollutant. Large cohort studies of chronic exposure to PM2.5 and mortality risk are largely confined to areas with low to moderate ambient PM2.5 concentrations and posit log-linear exposure-response functions. However, levels of PM2.5 in developing countries such as India are typically much higher, causing unknown health effects. Integrated exposure-response functions for high PM2.5 exposures encompassing risk estimates from ambient air, secondhand smoke, and active smoking exposures have been posited. We apply these functions to estimate the future cause-specific mortality risks associated with population-weighted ambient PM2.5 exposures in India in 2030 using Greenhouse Gas-Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model projections. The loss in statistical life expectancy (SLE) is calculated based on risk estimates and baseline mortality rates. Losses in SLE are aggregated and weighted using national age-adjusted, cause-specific mortality rates. 2030 PM2.5 pollution in India reaches an annual mean of 74 μg/m3, nearly eight times the corresponding World Health Organization air quality guideline. The national average loss in SLE is 32.5 months (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 29.7–35.2, regional range: 8.5–42.0), compared to an average of 53.7 months (95% CI: 46.3–61.1) using methods currently applied in GAINS. Results indicate wide regional variation in health impacts, and these methods may still underestimate the total health burden caused by PM2.5 exposures due to model assumptions on minimum age thresholds of pollution effects and a limited subset of health endpoints analyzed. Application of the revised exposure-response functions suggests that the most polluted areas in India will reap major health benefits only with substantial improvements in air quality. |
Xie, Yanhua; Lark, Tyler J.; Brown, Jesslyn F.; Gibbs, Holly K.: Mapping irrigated cropland extent across the conterminous United States at 30 m resolution using a semi-automatic training approach on Google Earth Engine. In: ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, vol. 155, pp. 136-149, 2019, ISSN: 0924-2716. @article{XIE2019136,
title = {Mapping irrigated cropland extent across the conterminous United States at 30 m resolution using a semi-automatic training approach on Google Earth Engine},
author = {Yanhua Xie and Tyler J. Lark and Jesslyn F. Brown and Holly K. Gibbs},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924271619301728},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2019.07.005},
issn = {0924-2716},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing},
volume = {155},
pages = {136-149},
abstract = {Accurate and timely information on the distribution of irrigated croplands is crucial to research on agriculture, water availability, land use, and climate change. While agricultural land use has been well characterized, less attention has been paid specifically to croplands that are irrigated, in part due to the difficulty in mapping and distinguishing irrigation in satellite imagery. In this study, we developed a semi-automatic training approach to rapidly map irrigated croplands across the conterminous United States (CONUS) at 30 m resolution using Google Earth Engine. To resolve the issue of lacking nationwide training data, we generated two intermediate irrigation maps by segmenting Landsat-derived annual maximum greenness and enhanced vegetation index using county-level thresholds calibrated from an existing coarse resolution irrigation map. The resulting intermediate maps were then spatially filtered to provide a training data pool for most areas except for the upper midwestern states where we visually collected samples. We then used random samples extracted from the training pool along with remote sensing-derived features and climate variables to train ecoregion-stratified random forest classifiers for pixel-level classification. For ecoregions with a large training pool, the procedure of sample extraction, classifier training, and classification was conducted 10 times to obtain stable classification results. The resulting 2012 Landsat-based irrigation dataset (LANID) identified 23.3 million hectares of irrigated croplands in CONUS. A quantitative assessment of LANID showed superior accuracy to currently available maps, with a mean Kappa value of 0.88 (0.75–0.99), overall accuracy of 94% (87.5–99%), and producer’s and user’s accuracy of the irrigation class of 97.3% and 90.5%, respectively, at the aquifer level. Evaluation of feature importance indicated that Landsat-derived features played the primary role in classification in relatively arid regions while climate variables were important in the more humid eastern states. This methodology has the potential to produce annual irrigation maps for CONUS and provide insights into the field-level spatial and temporal aspects of irrigation.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Accurate and timely information on the distribution of irrigated croplands is crucial to research on agriculture, water availability, land use, and climate change. While agricultural land use has been well characterized, less attention has been paid specifically to croplands that are irrigated, in part due to the difficulty in mapping and distinguishing irrigation in satellite imagery. In this study, we developed a semi-automatic training approach to rapidly map irrigated croplands across the conterminous United States (CONUS) at 30 m resolution using Google Earth Engine. To resolve the issue of lacking nationwide training data, we generated two intermediate irrigation maps by segmenting Landsat-derived annual maximum greenness and enhanced vegetation index using county-level thresholds calibrated from an existing coarse resolution irrigation map. The resulting intermediate maps were then spatially filtered to provide a training data pool for most areas except for the upper midwestern states where we visually collected samples. We then used random samples extracted from the training pool along with remote sensing-derived features and climate variables to train ecoregion-stratified random forest classifiers for pixel-level classification. For ecoregions with a large training pool, the procedure of sample extraction, classifier training, and classification was conducted 10 times to obtain stable classification results. The resulting 2012 Landsat-based irrigation dataset (LANID) identified 23.3 million hectares of irrigated croplands in CONUS. A quantitative assessment of LANID showed superior accuracy to currently available maps, with a mean Kappa value of 0.88 (0.75–0.99), overall accuracy of 94% (87.5–99%), and producer’s and user’s accuracy of the irrigation class of 97.3% and 90.5%, respectively, at the aquifer level. Evaluation of feature importance indicated that Landsat-derived features played the primary role in classification in relatively arid regions while climate variables were important in the more humid eastern states. This methodology has the potential to produce annual irrigation maps for CONUS and provide insights into the field-level spatial and temporal aspects of irrigation. |
Lark, Tyler J; Larson, Ben; Schelly, Ian; Batish, Sapna; Gibbs, Holly K: Accelerated Conversion of Native Prairie to Cropland in Minnesota. In: Environmental Conservation, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 155–162, 2019. @article{lark_larson_schelly_batish_gibbs_2019,
title = {Accelerated Conversion of Native Prairie to Cropland in Minnesota},
author = {Tyler J Lark and Ben Larson and Ian Schelly and Sapna Batish and Holly K Gibbs},
doi = {10.1017/S0376892918000437},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {Environmental Conservation},
volume = {46},
number = {2},
pages = {155–162},
publisher = {Cambridge University Press},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
|