Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST

Afromontane forests are biodiversity hotspots and provide essential ecosystem services. However, they are under pressure as a result of an expanding human population and the impact of climate change. In many instances electric fencing has become a necessary management strategy to protect forest inte...

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Main Authors:	Jacqueline Morrison, Thomas P. Higginbottom, Elias Symeonakis, Martin J. Jones, Fred Omengo, Susan L. Walker, Bradley Cain
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	MDPI AG 2018-07-01
Series:	Remote Sensing
Subjects:	time series analysis BFAST montane forests change detection degradation MODIS fencing elephant
Online Access:	http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/10/7/1075

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spelling	doaj-878b0a49156c413aaa559cb0e0e63ce02020-11-24T23:07:50ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922018-07-01107107510.3390/rs10071075rs10071075Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFASTJacqueline Morrison0Thomas P. Higginbottom1Elias Symeonakis2Martin J. Jones3Fred Omengo4Susan L. Walker5Bradley Cain6School of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UKSchool of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UKSchool of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UKSchool of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UKKenya Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 40241-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaChester Zoo, Cedar House, Caughall Road, Upton by Chester, Chester CH2 1LH, UKSchool of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UKAfromontane forests are biodiversity hotspots and provide essential ecosystem services. However, they are under pressure as a result of an expanding human population and the impact of climate change. In many instances electric fencing has become a necessary management strategy to protect forest integrity and reduce human-wildlife conflict. The impact of confining hitherto migratory elephant populations within forests remains unknown, and monitoring largely inaccessible areas is challenging. We explore the application of remote sensing to monitor the impact of confinement, employing the Breaks For Additive Season and Trend (BFAST) time-series decomposition method over a 15-year period on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) (MOD13Q1) datasets for two Kenyan forests. Results indicated that BFAST was able to identify disturbances from anthropogenic, fire and elephant damage. Sequential monitoring enabled the detection of gradual changes in the forest canopy, with degradation and regeneration being observed in both sites. Annual rates of forest loss in both areas were significantly lower than reported in other studies on Afromontane forests, suggesting that installing fences has reduced land-use conversion from human-related disturbances. Negative changes in EVI were predominantly gradual degradation rather than large-scale, abrupt clearings of the forest. Results presented here demonstrate that BFAST can be used to monitor biotic and abiotic drivers of change in Afromontane forests.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/10/7/1075time series analysisBFASTmontane forestschange detectiondegradationMODISfencingelephant
collection	DOAJ
language	English
format	Article
sources	DOAJ
author	Jacqueline Morrison Thomas P. Higginbottom Elias Symeonakis Martin J. Jones Fred Omengo Susan L. Walker Bradley Cain
spellingShingle	Jacqueline Morrison Thomas P. Higginbottom Elias Symeonakis Martin J. Jones Fred Omengo Susan L. Walker Bradley Cain Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST Remote Sensing time series analysis BFAST montane forests change detection degradation MODIS fencing elephant
author_facet	Jacqueline Morrison Thomas P. Higginbottom Elias Symeonakis Martin J. Jones Fred Omengo Susan L. Walker Bradley Cain
author_sort	Jacqueline Morrison
title	Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST
title_short	Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST
title_full	Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST
title_fullStr	Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST
title_full_unstemmed	Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST
title_sort	detecting vegetation change in response to confining elephants in forests using modis time-series and bfast
publisher	MDPI AG
series	Remote Sensing
issn	2072-4292
publishDate	2018-07-01
description	Afromontane forests are biodiversity hotspots and provide essential ecosystem services. However, they are under pressure as a result of an expanding human population and the impact of climate change. In many instances electric fencing has become a necessary management strategy to protect forest integrity and reduce human-wildlife conflict. The impact of confining hitherto migratory elephant populations within forests remains unknown, and monitoring largely inaccessible areas is challenging. We explore the application of remote sensing to monitor the impact of confinement, employing the Breaks For Additive Season and Trend (BFAST) time-series decomposition method over a 15-year period on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) (MOD13Q1) datasets for two Kenyan forests. Results indicated that BFAST was able to identify disturbances from anthropogenic, fire and elephant damage. Sequential monitoring enabled the detection of gradual changes in the forest canopy, with degradation and regeneration being observed in both sites. Annual rates of forest loss in both areas were significantly lower than reported in other studies on Afromontane forests, suggesting that installing fences has reduced land-use conversion from human-related disturbances. Negative changes in EVI were predominantly gradual degradation rather than large-scale, abrupt clearings of the forest. Results presented here demonstrate that BFAST can be used to monitor biotic and abiotic drivers of change in Afromontane forests.
topic	time series analysis BFAST montane forests change detection degradation MODIS fencing elephant
url	http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/10/7/1075
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Detecting Vegetation Change in Response to Confining Elephants in Forests Using MODIS Time-Series and BFAST

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