Age determinations from Bykovsky Peninsula, Siberia

A wide variety of environmental records is necessary for analysing and understanding the complex Late Quaternary dynamics of permafrost-dominated Arctic landscapes. A NE Siberian periglacial key region was studied in detail using sediment records, remote sensing data, and terrain modelling, all incorporated in a geographical information system (GIS). The study area consists of the Bykovsky Peninsula and the adjacent Khorogor Valley in the Kharaulakh Ridge situated a few kilometres southeast of the Lena Delta. In this study a comprehensive cryolithological database containing information from 176 sites was compiled. The information from these sites is based on the review of previously published borehole data, outcrop profiles, surface samples, and our own field data. These archives cover depositional records of three periods: from Pliocene to Early Pleistocene, the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene. The main sediment sequences on the Bykovsky Peninsula consist of up to 50 m thick ice-rich permafrost deposits (Ice Complex) that were accumulated during the Late Pleistocene. They were formed as a result of nival processes around extensive snowfields in the Kharaulakh Ridge, slope processes in these mountains (such as in the Khorogor Valley), and alluvial/proluvial sedimentation in a flat accumulation plain dominated by polygonal tundra in the mountain foreland (Bykovsky Peninsula). During the early to middle Holocene warming, a general landscape transformation occurred from an extensive Late Pleistocene accumulation plain to a strongly thermokarst-dominated relief dissected by numerous depressions. Thermokarst subsidence had an enormous influence on the periglacial hydrological patterns, the sediment deposition, and on the composition and distribution of habitats. Climate deterioration, lake drainage, and talik refreezing occurred during the middle to late Holocene. The investigated region was reached by the post-glacial sea level rise during the middle Holocene, triggering thermo-abrasion of ice-rich coasts and the marine inundation of thermokarst depressions.

(Table 1) Normalized difference vegetation index in control and warming plots, Abisco Research Station

Extreme winter warming events in the sub-Arctic have caused considerable vegetation damage due to rapid changes in temperature and loss of snow cover. The frequency of extreme weather is expected to increase due to climate change thereby increasing the potential for recurring vegetation damage in Arctic regions. Here we present data on vegetation recovery from one such natural event and multiple experimental simulations in the sub-Arctic using remote sensing, handheld passive proximal sensors and ground surveys. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) recovered fast (2 years), from the 26% decline following one natural extreme winter warming event. Recovery was associated with declines in dead Empetrum nigrum (dominant dwarf shrub) from ground surveys. However, E. nigrum healthy leaf NDVI was also reduced (16%) following this winter warming event in experimental plots (both control and treatments), suggesting that non-obvious plant damage (i.e., physiological stress) had occurred in addition to the dead E. nigrum shoots that was considered responsible for the regional 26% NDVI decline. Plot and leaf level NDVI provided useful additional information that could not be obtained from vegetation surveys and regional remote sensing (MODIS) alone. The major damage of an extreme winter warming event appears to be relatively transitory. However, potential knock-on effects on higher trophic levels (e.g., rodents, reindeer, and bear) could be unpredictable and large. Repeated warming events year after year, which can be expected under winter climate warming, could result in damage that may take much longer to recover.

Potential of RapidEye image data for sediment monitoring of the German tidal flats

The Wadden Sea is located in the southeastern part of the North Sea forming an extended intertidal area along the Dutch, German and Danish coast. It is a highly dynamic and largely natural ecosystem influenced by climatic changes and anthropogenic use of the North Sea. Changes in the environment of the Wadden Sea, natural or anthropogenic origin, cannot be monitored by the standard measurement methods alone, because large-area surveys of the intertidal flats are often difficult due to tides, tidal channels and unstable underground. For this reason, remote sensing offers effective monitoring tools. In this study a multi-sensor concept for classification of intertidal areas in the Wadden Sea has been developed. Basis for this method is a combined analysis of RapidEye (RE) and TerraSAR-X (TSX) satellite data coupled with ancillary vector data about the distribution of vegetation, mussel beds and sediments. The classification of the vegetation and mussel beds is based on a decision tree and a set of hierarchically structured algorithms which use object and texture features. The sediments are classified by an algorithm which uses thresholds and a majority filter. Further improvements focus on radiometric enhancement and atmospheric correction. First results show that we are able to identify vegetation and mussel beds with the use of multi-sensor remote sensing. The classification of the sediments in the tidal flats is a challenge compared to vegetation and mussel beds. The results demonstrate that the sediments cannot be classified with high accuracy by their spectral properties alone due to their similarity which is predominately caused by their water content.

Icebergs in the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica) determined from ENVISAT ASAR WSM data using object-based image analysis approach, link to ESRI GDB files

ENVISAT ASAR WSM images with pixel size 150 × 150 m, acquired in different meteorological, oceanographic and sea ice conditions were used to determined icebergs in the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica). An object-based method for automatic iceberg detection from SAR data has been developed and applied. The object identification is based on spectral and spatial parameters on 5 scale levels, and was verified with manual classification in four polygon areas, chosen to represent varying environmental conditions. The algorithm works comparatively well in freezing temperatures and strong wind conditions, prevailing in the Amundsen Sea during the year. The detection rate was 96% which corresponds to 94% of the area (counting icebergs larger than 0.03 km**2), for all seasons. The presented algorithm tends to generate errors in the form of false alarms, mainly caused by the presence of ice floes, rather than misses. This affects the reliability since false alarms were manually corrected post analysis.

Victorian Dominant Land Cover, 2009-2013

There is a demand for regularly updated, broad-scale, accurate land cover information in Victoria from multiple stakeholders. This paper documents the methods used to generate an annual dominant land cover (DLC) map for Victoria, Australia from 2009 to 2013. Vegetation phenology parameters derived from an annual time series of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Vegetation Indices 16-day 250 m (MOD13Q1) product were used to generate annual DLC maps, using a three-tiered hierarchical classification scheme. Classification accuracy at the broadest (primary) class level was over 91% for all years, while it ranged from 72 to 81% at the secondary class level. The most detailed class level (tertiary) had accuracy levels ranging from 61 to 68%. The approach used was able to accommodate variable climatic conditions, which had substantial impacts on vegetation growth patterns and agricultural production across the state between both regions and years. The production of an annual dataset with complete spatial coverage for Victoria provides a reliable base data set with an accuracy that is fit-for-purpose for many applications.

Plant Functional Type (PFT) map over Siberia derived from GlobCover 2005 dataset, link to dataset in NetCDF format

High-latitude ecosystems play an important role in the global carbon cycle and in regulating the climate system and are presently undergoing rapid environmental change. Accurate land cover data sets are required to both document these changes as well as to provide land-surface information for benchmarking and initializing Earth system models. Earth system models also require specific land cover classification systems based on plant functional types (PFTs), rather than species or ecosystems, and so post-processing of existing land cover data is often required. This study compares over Siberia, multiple land cover data sets against one another and with auxiliary data to identify key uncertainties that contribute to variability in PFT classifications that would introduce errors in Earth system modeling. Land cover classification systems from GLC 2000, GlobCover 2005 and 2009, and MODIS collections 5 and 5.1 are first aggregated to a common legend, and then compared to high-resolution land cover classification systems, vegetation continuous fields (MODIS VCFs) and satellite-derived tree heights (to discriminate against sparse, shrub, and forest vegetation). The GlobCover data set, with a lower threshold for tree cover and taller tree heights and a better spatial resolution, tends to have better distributions of tree cover compared to high-resolution data. It has therefore been chosen to build new PFT maps for the ORCHIDEE land surface model at 1 km scale. Compared to the original PFT data set, the new PFT maps based on GlobCover 2005 and an updated cross-walking approach mainly differ in the characterization of forests and degree of tree cover. The partition of grasslands and bare soils now appears more realistic compared with ground truth data. This new vegetation map provides a framework for further development of new PFTs in the ORCHIDEE model like shrubs, lichens and mosses, to represent the water and carbon cycles in northern latitudes better. Updated land cover data sets are critical for improving and maintaining the relevance of Earth system models for assessing climate and human impacts on biogeochemistry and biophysics.

Landsat derived percent vegetation cover of Israel (as of 2003)

Wildfires are part of the Mediterranean ecosystem, however, in Israel all wildfires are human caused, either intentionally or un-intentionally. In this study we aimed to develop and test a new method for mapping fire scars from MODIS imagery, to examine the temporal and spatial patterns of wildfires in Israel in the 2000s and to examine the factors controlling Israel's wildfire regime. To map the fires we used two 'off-the-shelf' MODIS fire products as our basis-the 1 km MODIS Collection 5 fire hotspots, the 500 m MCD45A1 burnt areas-and we created a new set of fire scar maps from the 250 m MOD13Q1 product. We carried out a cross comparison of the three MODIS based wildfire scar maps and evaluated them independently against the wild fire scars mapped from 30 m Landsat TM imagery. To examine the factors controlling wildfires we used GIS layers of rainfall, land use, and a Landsat-based national vegetation map. Wildfires occurred in areas where annual rainfall was above 250 mm, mostly in areas with herbaceous vegetation. Wildfire frequency was especially high in the Golan Heights and in the foothills of the Judean mountains, and a high correspondence was found between military training zones and the spatial distribution of fire scars. The use of MODIS satellite images enabled us to map wildfires at a national scale due to the high temporal resolution of the sensor. Our MOD13Q1 based mapping of fire scars adequately mapped large (>1 km**2) fires with accuracies above 80%. Such large fires account for a large proportion of all fires, and pose the greatest threats. This database can aid managers in determining wildfire risks in space and in time.

Pan-European land cover/use map for 2009

GlobCorine demonstrated an automatic service that can generate in a consistent way land cover / land use maps and land change indicators, based on a CLC-compatible legend. CLC is derived from a visual identification and classification of landscape objects using high resolution images. This methodology provides high thematic accuracy but limits the update rate since it is time-consuming. Therefore, the project evaluated the use of MERIS FR time series, processed automatically to provide a more frequent update of CLC-compatible maps. GlobCorine built upon the experience and resources available through the GlobCover project, to tune the classification chain and adapt it to the EEA needs, covering the pan-European area (including the Mediterranean basin and the European Russia), although the system could be potentially extendable globally. The project delivered two CLC-compatible pan-European land cover maps in less than two years, demonstrating efficient and quick production. The first map is based on Envisat MERIS fine resolution (300m) mode data acquired between end 2004 and mid 2006, while the second used full-year 2009 data. GlobCorine is an initiative of ESA with the partnership of EEA and is implemented by Universite' catholique de Louvain - UCL.

Spectral reflectance of ODP Leg 178 holes

The routine use of spectrophotometry on the sediment surfaces of archive halves of each section during the onboard sedimentological core description process is a great stride toward development of real-time noninvasive characterization of deep-sea sediments. Spectral reflectance data have been used so far for mineral composition studies as well as for lithostratigraphic correlation between sites (Balsam and Deaton, 1991; Balsam et al., 1997; Mix et al., 1995; Ortiz et al., 1999). Their results demonstrate that spectrophotometry can estimate CaCO3 content by using the 4.65-, 5.25-, and 5.55-µm wavelength spectrums. A detailed overview of various other noninvasive methods is given in Ortiz and Rack (1999). The purpose of this study is to test whether spectrophotometry in the visible band can be used as a tool to gather further information about grain-size variation, sorting, compaction, and porosity, which are directly linked to the sedimentation process. From remote sensing data analyses, it is known that diffuse spectral reflectance data in the visible band in the wavelength window of 7.0-6.5 µm are sensitive to grain-size variations. It appears that a relationship between grain size and signal absorption exists only in this wavelength window. (e.g., Clark, 1999; Gaffey, 1986; Gaffey et al., 1993). Variations in grain size during a sedimentation process are linked to depositional energy, which affects sorting, compaction, and porosity of sediment deposits. As an example, we study here the spectrophotometric data of the sedimentary sequence of Hole 1098C, which was deposited under widely varying environmental conditions. Alternating turbidite and finely laminated sediments were recovered from Hole 1098C. The turbidites are related to a high depositional energy environment; the finely laminated sediments are related to a low depositional energy environment. Data from Hole 1098C were therefore used to test whether the spectral reflectance data can provide a proxy for these different depositional environments.

Benthic cover map of Heron Reef derived from a high-spatial-resolution multi-spectral satellite image using object based image analysis

Providing accurate maps of coral reefs where the spatial scale and labels of the mapped features correspond to map units appropriate for examining biological and geomorphic structures and processes is a major challenge for remote sensing. The objective of this work is to assess the accuracy and relevance of the process used to derive geomorphic zone and benthic community zone maps for three western Pacific coral reefs produced from multi-scale, object-based image analysis (OBIA) of high-spatial-resolution multi-spectral images, guided by field survey data. Three Quickbird-2 multi-spectral data sets from reefs in Australia, Palau and Fiji and georeferenced field photographs were used in a multi-scale segmentation and object-based image classification to map geomorphic zones and benthic community zones. A per-pixel approach was also tested for mapping benthic community zones. Validation of the maps and comparison to past approaches indicated the multi-scale OBIA process enabled field data, operator field experience and a conceptual hierarchical model of the coral reef environment to be linked to provide output maps at geomorphic zone and benthic community scales on coral reefs. The OBIA mapping accuracies were comparable with previously published work using other methods; however, the classes mapped were matched to a predetermined set of features on the reef.

Evolution of thermokarst in East Siberian ice-rich permafrost

Thermokarst lakes and basins are major components of ice-rich permafrost landscapes in East Siberian coastal lowlands and are regarded as indicators of regional climatic changes. We investigate the temporal and spatial dynamics of a 7.5 km**2, partly drained thermokarst basin (alas) using field investigations, remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and sediment analyses. The evolution of the thermokarst basin proceeded in two phases. The first phase started at the Pleistocene/Holocene transition (13 to 12 ka BP) with the initiation of a primary thermokarst lake on the Ice Complex surface. The lake expanded and persisted throughout the early Holocene before it drained abruptly about 5.7 ka BP, thereby creating a > 20 m deep alas with residual lakes. The second phase (5.7 ka BP to present) is characterized by alternating stages of lower and higher thermokarst intensity within the alas that were mainly controlled by local hydrological and relief conditions and accompanied by permafrost aggradation and degradation. It included diverse concurrent processes like lake expansion and stepwise drainage, polygonal ice-wedge growth, and the formation of drainage channels and a pingo, which occurred in different parts of the alas. This more dynamic thermokarst evolution resulted in a complex modern thermokarst landscape. However, on the regional scale, the changes during the second evolutionary phase after drainage of the initial thermokarst lakes were less intense than the early Holocene extensive thermokarst development in East Siberian coastal lowlands as a result of a significant regional change to warmer and wetter climate conditions.