Crabtree, Robert (Bob): Yellowstone Ecological Research Center (Project Lead)
Project Funding:
2008 - 2013
NRA: 2007 NASA: Decision Support through Earth Science Research Results
Funded by NASA, Other US Funding: NASA Lawrence Friedl
Abstract:
To maintain our nation’s environmental health, we must continually improve our ability to manage our natural resources in ways that sustain ecological function and protect biodiversity. As a result, USFWS and USGS recently partnered to create a Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) Framework, with the goal of directing its management activities within a framework of strategic and effective decision-making. The SHC framework provides a new direction for existing decision support systems (DSSs) that rely on geospatial data, biological information, and predictive ecological models. While bringing NASA a new DSS partner (USFWS) under the proposed work, we will address numerous modeling deficiencies recognized by the SHC, including deficiencies in ecological forecasting. The overall goal of our proposed project is to integrate NASA Earth Science products and predictive species models into the USFWS DSS. We propose to improve the burgeoning DSS by creating web-deployed models with GIS-based outputs to (1) measure, monitor, and analyze the ecological conditions of focal area regions for conservation decision-making and predictive modeling capabilities, (2) implement a species-environment and demography modeling framework (called RRSC models) to predict environmental impacts on select focal species populations, and (3) establish a Species Forecasting System (SFS)-a web-based, user-friendly interface that allows end-users to answer what-if-scenarios. The models will be based on long-term USFWS population-level species datasets, NASA TOPS products, and other NASA Earth Science data products. The models will initially be developed for species in two pilot focal sites: the northern Alaska and western Wyoming regions. To accomplish these goals, we have assembled an appropriate, experienced, and balanced team of co-PIs, co- Is, and a strategically crafted assessment team of USFWS, USGS, and NPS scientists for evaluation, benchmarking, and implementation of the NASA-enhanced US Fish and Wildlife Service decision support system.
More details may be found in the following project profile(s):
