Use of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index to Assess Vegetative Nutritive Value in Halophytic Graminoid Habitat across Alaska’s Arctic Coastal Plain

Abstract:

Climate change will likely alter the seasonal nutrient abundance and general distribution of halophytic graminoid (salt marsh) habitat across the Arctic Coastal Plain. Halophytic graminoids are key forage for newly hatched Black Brant, Lesser Snow and Greater White-fronted Geese and the timing and degree of seasonal nutrient abundance in these plants is critical for gosling growth and survival. After 5 years of research (culminating in 2015) under the USGS Alaska Science Center’s Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative, we found strong relationships between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and nutrient abundance (N g/m²) and availability (%N) in halophytic graminoid habitat. The relationships between NDVI and nutrient abundance and availability were strong whether using NDVI derived from high (spectrometer), moderate (WorldView-2 satellite) or low (eMODIS satellite) resolution data. Correlations established and validated at one location were used to predict nutrient abundance using NDVI readings from other locations, allowing interpretation of satellite derived NDVI in terms of nutrient abundance across broad areas of mapped salt marsh habitat. Further, NDVI seasonal timelines were used to predict the timing of peak nutrient availability using the period of most rapid increase in NDVI value. Currently, we are using WorldView-2 imagery to create vegetation maps of the central Arctic coastal zone (~20 km inland) of Alaska, covering approximately 1000 km of coastline, with a focus on identifying all salt marshes. Such maps will enable monitoring programs and allow for modeling to predict spatial and temporal changes in halophytic graminoid habitat and the nutrients available to geese in the early stages of life.