Abstract

Climate-driven land cover change and biodiversity loss are problems impacting food security, economic growth, human health, and cultural identity of arctic environments, such as Stordalen Mire, Abisko, Sweden (68.35’ N, 18.82’ E). The sensitive nature of these remote areas necessitates large-scale, less-invasive monitoring of environmental change via remote sensing combined with low-impact, cost-effective field validation of remote sensing products. This project assesses the accuracy and utility of two low-cost spectrometers, the Sherwin-Williams® ColorSnap® and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science and Technology Education for Land/Life Assessment (STELLA-Q), in conjunction with ArcGIS and GoogleEarth Engine programs and aerial imagery to quantify plant species and land cover class changes from 2022 to 2023. This project presents the results of the landscape classifications and land cover change analyses, as well as the tradeoffs of these two devices. The ColorSnap® is an effective tool for collecting spectral data for individual species, while the STELLA is better suited to collect data for land cover class determination. The classifications created from these tools resulted in 77-84% overall accuracy and 0-40% errors of omission and commission. These classifications showed that intact permafrost palsas, are the dominant land cover type at Stordalen Mire, consistently covering just over a third (34-37%) of the landscape in both 2022 and 2023. The introduction of low-cost field portable spectrophotometer tools may allow for increased accuracy and comprehensive analysis of vegetation, which will enable better monitoring of how ecosystems are changing over time.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Land cover--Arctic regions--Remote sensing; Landscape changes--Sweden--Abisko--Remote sensing; Permafrost; Spectrometer--Evaluation

Publication Date

4-22-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Environmental Science (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences

College

College of Science

Advisor

Carmody McCalley

Advisor/Committee Member

Michael Palace

Advisor/Committee Member

Karl Korfmacher

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

ENVS-MS

Download

Share

COinS