Using Color-infrared Photography and GIS to Quantify Cattail Coverage in Wetlands

Authors

H. Jeffrey Homan, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research Center
Linda B. Penry, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research Center
George M. Linz, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow

Date of this Version

February 2003

Comments

Proceedings 25th Annual Sunflower Research Workshop (Fargo, ND, 16 & 17 January 2003). National Sunflower Association, Bismarck, North Dakota, USA.

Abstract

Analyzing changes in habitat features at very large scales requires digital images with both high spatial and spectral resolutions. As part of an experiment to reduce blackbird (Icterinae) damage to sunflower, we used large-scale color-infrared photography to monitor regrowth of herbicide-treated cattail (Typha spp.) in wetlands used by roosting blackbirds. In this presentation we describe the methods used to collect, convert, interpret, and analyze high resolution images.