ETD RECORD
A geospatial data integration framework for mapping and monitoring tropical landscape diversity in Costa Rica's San Juan-La Selva biological corridor
Citation
Sesnie, Steven E.. (2006). A geospatial data integration framework for mapping and monitoring tropical landscape diversity in Costa Rica's San Juan-La Selva biological corridor. Theses and Dissertations Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections. https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/etd/items/etd_312.html
- Title:
- A geospatial data integration framework for mapping and monitoring tropical landscape diversity in Costa Rica's San Juan-La Selva biological corridor
- Author:
- Sesnie, Steven E.
- Date:
- 2006
- Keywords:
- Biodiversity conservation--Costa Rica Rain forests--Costa Rica--Remote sensing Old growth forests--Costa Rica--Remote sensing Geospatial data--Costa Rica
- Abstract:
- Landcover change has substantially reduced the amount of tropical rain forest since the 1950s. Little is known about the extent of remaining forest types. A multivariate analysis of 144 forest plots across Costa Rica's San Juan - La Selva Biological Corridor resulted in eight floristically defined old-growth forest categories. Spectral separability was tested between categories using Landsat TM bands and vegetation indices for old-growth types, palm swamps, tree plantations and regrowth. Image filtering and NDVI increased spectral separability among categories by 30%. Separability tests resulted in seven well-discriminated forest categories.;Factors driving forest beta-diversity are not well quantified for wet tropical environments. We examined the relationship between rain forest composition and environmental variation for a 3000 km{esc}p2{esc}s area in northeastern Costa Rica. Mid- to upper-canopy tree species abundance and soil characteristics were measured from 127, 0.25-ha plots across Caribbean lowlands and foothills. Partial Mantel tests produced significant correlations between floristic distance and soil, terrain, and climate variables controlling the effects of geographical distance. Niche-factors showed a significant trend with forest composition more than dispersal limitation or disturbance related factors.;Variables such as terrain features, climatic variation and Landsat TM bands associated with forest composition were assessed with two decision tree models. Thirty-two landcover types were compared for a 15-year time interval. Ten were floristic alliances from a cluster analysis of forest plots and wetland categories. A subset of 12 spectral and spatial predictor variables produced accuracies of 93%{plusmn}7% and 83%{plusmn}15% for QUEST and CRUISE classifiers, respectively. The QUEST classifier was accurate for habitat mapping and change detection important to biodiversity monitoring objectives.;A 1996 Forestry Law initiated environmental service payments and prohibited forest conversion. Landcover changes were compared before and after 1996 and linked to landowner surveys. Carbon services from secondary forests were examined above- and below-ground. Natural forest loss declined from -1.43 to -0.20% yr -1 . Secondary forest carbon storage approached primary forest levels after 25-30 years, though few landowners retained tree regeneration. The Costa Rican experience provides evidence that payments were effective in retaining natural forest and recruiting tree cover mainly via tree plantations.
- Description:
- Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Idaho, December 2006.
- Major Professor:
- Paul E. Gessler.
- Defense Date:
- December 2006.
- Type:
- Text
- Format Original:
- xxi, 154 leaves :ill. (some col.), maps (some col.) ;29 cm.
- Format:
- record
Rights
- Rights:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted. For more information, please contact University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Department at libspec@uidaho.edu.
- Standardized Rights:
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/