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• 1. [Article] Making Software, Making Regions: Labor Market Dualization, Segmentation, and Feminization in Austin, Portland and Seattle

  Through mixed-methods research, this dissertation details the regionally variegated and place-specific software production processes in three second-tier US software regions. I focus on the relationship ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Making Software, Making Regions: Labor Market Dualization, Segmentation, and Feminization in Austin, Portland and Seattle Author: Mahmoudi, Dillon Year: 2017 Through mixed-methods research, this dissertation details the regionally variegated and place-specific software production processes in three second-tier US software regions. I focus on the relationship between different industrial, firm, and worker production configurations and broad-based economic development, prosperity, and inequality. I develop four main empirical findings. First, I argue for a periodization of software production that tracks with changes in software laboring activity, software technologies, and wage-employment relationships. Through a GIS-based method, I use the IPUMS-USA to extensively measure the amount and type of software labor in industries across the US between 1970 and 2015. I map the uneven geography of software labor that produces different clusters of various software occupations. Second, I argue that between each software period, locational windows provide an opportunity for second-tier software regions to challenge Silicon Valley. I combine the IPUMS-USA dataset with interviews of software workers to analyze forms of regionally specific modes of production in Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas. I trace how software production in these three cities evolves between each software period, taking on different spatial configurations, firm strategies, labor practices, and technological characteristics. Third, I argue that software labor is hyper-sensitive to deskilling because of software production activity produces software. I combine occupation classifications and interviews with software workers to interrogate the ever-present need for software workers to learn the newest development practices and software languages as firms seek to automate software production. I define five key moments since the 1970s that exemplify software labor market dualization and segmentation. Using interviews, and conference observations, I find that community-based organizations and labor market intermediaries locally mitigate the structural tendencies toward labor market dualization and segmentation. I argue that without intervention, the layered and bifurcated labor market for software production reproduces existing inequalities. Further, the organizational, technological, and spatial changes in software production reduce the potential for equitable wealth production. Ultimately, this dissertation argues for the importance of labor organizing in software, contributing empirical and theoretical work in a lineage of regional-based industrial restructuring literature. The regional and industrial geographies produced by and out of software production are significant forces in the economy at regional and national scales. I connect this process to the feminization of other industries, noting how the technical nature of software production structurally genders and racializes the labor force. Leveraging a labor feminization framework highlights the flexibilization of labor and the rift between the pace of software skill building and technological development. Both software production and regional economies are necessary entry points to understand new capitalist relations. Understanding these new relations thus requires examining how configurations of software production differ across regions, how they impact industry and regional economic development outcomes, and how they weaken or strengthen actions of local workers, local organizations, and local firms. These processes offer a glimpse into how the contemporary moment of production differs from other moments of production. Armed with this understanding, this research will be able to connect industry and regional economic-development outcomes to regionally specific modes of production, answering relevant software-based economic-development policy questions. Title: Making Software, Making Regions: Labor Market Dualization, Segmentation, and Feminization in Austin, Portland and Seattle Author: Mahmoudi, Dillon Year: 2017 Through mixed-methods research, this dissertation details the regionally variegated and place-specific software production processes in three second-tier US software regions. I focus on the relationship between different industrial, firm, and worker production configurations and broad-based economic development, prosperity, and inequality. I develop four main empirical findings. First, I argue for a periodization of software production that tracks with changes in software laboring activity, software technologies, and wage-employment relationships. Through a GIS-based method, I use the IPUMS-USA to extensively measure the amount and type of software labor in industries across the US between 1970 and 2015. I map the uneven geography of software labor that produces different clusters of various software occupations. Second, I argue that between each software period, locational windows provide an opportunity for second-tier software regions to challenge Silicon Valley. I combine the IPUMS-USA dataset with interviews of software workers to analyze forms of regionally specific modes of production in Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas. I trace how software production in these three cities evolves between each software period, taking on different spatial configurations, firm strategies, labor practices, and technological characteristics. Third, I argue that software labor is hyper-sensitive to deskilling because of software production activity produces software. I combine occupation classifications and interviews with software workers to interrogate the ever-present need for software workers to learn the newest development practices and software languages as firms seek to automate software production. I define five key moments since the 1970s that exemplify software labor market dualization and segmentation. Using interviews, and conference observations, I find that community-based organizations and labor market intermediaries locally mitigate the structural tendencies toward labor market dualization and segmentation. I argue that without intervention, the layered and bifurcated labor market for software production reproduces existing inequalities. Further, the organizational, technological, and spatial changes in software production reduce the potential for equitable wealth production. Ultimately, this dissertation argues for the importance of labor organizing in software, contributing empirical and theoretical work in a lineage of regional-based industrial restructuring literature. The regional and industrial geographies produced by and out of software production are significant forces in the economy at regional and national scales. I connect this process to the feminization of other industries, noting how the technical nature of software production structurally genders and racializes the labor force. Leveraging a labor feminization framework highlights the flexibilization of labor and the rift between the pace of software skill building and technological development. Both software production and regional economies are necessary entry points to understand new capitalist relations. Understanding these new relations thus requires examining how configurations of software production differ across regions, how they impact industry and regional economic development outcomes, and how they weaken or strengthen actions of local workers, local organizations, and local firms. These processes offer a glimpse into how the contemporary moment of production differs from other moments of production. Armed with this understanding, this research will be able to connect industry and regional economic-development outcomes to regionally specific modes of production, answering relevant software-based economic-development policy questions. Close

• 2. [Article] English Education in Thailand and Singapore : Differences in English Education, Use and Identity

  The Secretary General of ASEAN asserted the importance of education and the use English in promoting and bringing prosperity to the ASEAN nations. "Through education, through the use of English language ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: English Education in Thailand and Singapore : Differences in English Education, Use and Identity Author: Hice, Chelsey Year: 2015 The Secretary General of ASEAN asserted the importance of education and the use English in promoting and bringing prosperity to the ASEAN nations. "Through education, through the use of English language and, more importantly, with a heightened sense of ASEAN Identity and ASEAN Community, we hope that ASEAN integration and cooperation will bring both benefits and opportunities to the region" (Le Luong Minh, 2013). Taking Thailand and Singapore into consideration, it is clear that national realities vary greatly within the region in regards to English proficiency rates. Education First’s 2013 English Proficiency Index Report revealed that Singapore was the second highest English proficiency rating of the ASEAN Nations, Coming in slightly under Malaysia in the classification "High proficiency". Comparatively, Thailand ranked 55th out of 60 countries rated, falling into the "Very Low Proficiency" category. Critiques of Thailand’s low rankings tend to be blamed on a weak English education system. While this is indeed an imperative factor, to understand other factors it is important to consider the other two areas in questions: Use and Identity. These three core factors can be applied specifically to the regional goal of improving English proficiency and understanding the difficulty of creating regional policies. This study will show the relationship between English proficiency and student sentiments on education, opportunity for use, and identity. Title: English Education in Thailand and Singapore : Differences in English Education, Use and Identity Author: Hice, Chelsey Year: 2015 The Secretary General of ASEAN asserted the importance of education and the use English in promoting and bringing prosperity to the ASEAN nations. "Through education, through the use of English language and, more importantly, with a heightened sense of ASEAN Identity and ASEAN Community, we hope that ASEAN integration and cooperation will bring both benefits and opportunities to the region" (Le Luong Minh, 2013). Taking Thailand and Singapore into consideration, it is clear that national realities vary greatly within the region in regards to English proficiency rates. Education First’s 2013 English Proficiency Index Report revealed that Singapore was the second highest English proficiency rating of the ASEAN Nations, Coming in slightly under Malaysia in the classification "High proficiency". Comparatively, Thailand ranked 55th out of 60 countries rated, falling into the "Very Low Proficiency" category. Critiques of Thailand’s low rankings tend to be blamed on a weak English education system. While this is indeed an imperative factor, to understand other factors it is important to consider the other two areas in questions: Use and Identity. These three core factors can be applied specifically to the regional goal of improving English proficiency and understanding the difficulty of creating regional policies. This study will show the relationship between English proficiency and student sentiments on education, opportunity for use, and identity. Close

• 3. [Article] Agricultural Classification of Multi-Temporal MODIS Imagery in Northwest Argentina Using Kansas Crop Phenologies

  Subtropical deforestation in Latin America is thought to be driven by demand for agricultural land, particularly to grow soybeans. However, existing remote sensing methods that can differentiate crop types ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Agricultural Classification of Multi-Temporal MODIS Imagery in Northwest Argentina Using Kansas Crop Phenologies Author: Keifer, Jarrett Alexander Year: 2014 Subtropical deforestation in Latin America is thought to be driven by demand for agricultural land, particularly to grow soybeans. However, existing remote sensing methods that can differentiate crop types to verify this hypothesis require high spatial or spectral resolution data, or extensive ground truth information to develop training sites, none of which are freely available for much of the world. I developed a new method of crop classification based on the phenological signatures of crops extracted from multi-temporal MODIS vegetation indices. I tested and refined this method using the USDA Cropland Data Layer from Kansas, USA as a reference. I then applied the method to classify crop types for a study site in Pellegrini, Santiago Del Estero, Argentina. The results show that this method is unable to effectively separate summer crops in Pellegrini, but can differentiate summer crops and non-summer crops. Unmet assumptions about agricultural practices are primarily responsible for the ineffective summer crop classification, underlining the need for researchers to have a complete understanding of ground conditions when designing a remote sensing analysis. Title: Agricultural Classification of Multi-Temporal MODIS Imagery in Northwest Argentina Using Kansas Crop Phenologies Author: Keifer, Jarrett Alexander Year: 2014 Subtropical deforestation in Latin America is thought to be driven by demand for agricultural land, particularly to grow soybeans. However, existing remote sensing methods that can differentiate crop types to verify this hypothesis require high spatial or spectral resolution data, or extensive ground truth information to develop training sites, none of which are freely available for much of the world. I developed a new method of crop classification based on the phenological signatures of crops extracted from multi-temporal MODIS vegetation indices. I tested and refined this method using the USDA Cropland Data Layer from Kansas, USA as a reference. I then applied the method to classify crop types for a study site in Pellegrini, Santiago Del Estero, Argentina. The results show that this method is unable to effectively separate summer crops in Pellegrini, but can differentiate summer crops and non-summer crops. Unmet assumptions about agricultural practices are primarily responsible for the ineffective summer crop classification, underlining the need for researchers to have a complete understanding of ground conditions when designing a remote sensing analysis. Close

• 4. [Article] An Analysis of Vegetation Recovery following Dam Removal at Hemlock Recreation Site, Washington

  Dam removals are becoming increasingly common as dams reach their life expectancy and face costly upgrades associated with relicensing. Though removal is often viewed as a success in terms of ecological ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: An Analysis of Vegetation Recovery following Dam Removal at Hemlock Recreation Site, Washington Author: Ramsey, Greer Stewart Year: 2014 Dam removals are becoming increasingly common as dams reach their life expectancy and face costly upgrades associated with relicensing. Though removal is often viewed as a success in terms of ecological restoration, it also represents a major disturbance to an area. Previous research has shown that native species do not survive as well at these disturbed sites, and invasive species often dominate. This study examines the vegetation response in the drained reservoir area after the removal of Hemlock Dam on Trout Creek, a tributary to the Wind River in southern Washington. Transects were established and quadrats were sampled to determine the plant classifications and cover of vegetation and to examine possible correlations between environmental variables and the spatial distribution of plant classification groups. Sampling took place in the third and fourth years following dam removal, and the data was analyzed to determine significant changes and relationships. The results of this study showed that the site was dominated by a volunteer native forb Lotus purshianus (Spanish clover) and a planted native tree Alnus rubra (red alder). Most of the other species found were native volunteer forbs and grasses characteristic of early succession in this region. Both invasive species and planted species, with the exception of Alnus rubra, had low canopy covers. There was a significant increase in native plant canopy cover, as well as total canopy cover, from 2012 to 2013. There were also significant relationships between plant classification groups and environmental variables, including soil infiltration, elevation, and distance from stream. This study will help inform resource managers about the kinds of plants that will volunteer after dam removals and the possible success of re-vegetation projects. Title: An Analysis of Vegetation Recovery following Dam Removal at Hemlock Recreation Site, Washington Author: Ramsey, Greer Stewart Year: 2014 Dam removals are becoming increasingly common as dams reach their life expectancy and face costly upgrades associated with relicensing. Though removal is often viewed as a success in terms of ecological restoration, it also represents a major disturbance to an area. Previous research has shown that native species do not survive as well at these disturbed sites, and invasive species often dominate. This study examines the vegetation response in the drained reservoir area after the removal of Hemlock Dam on Trout Creek, a tributary to the Wind River in southern Washington. Transects were established and quadrats were sampled to determine the plant classifications and cover of vegetation and to examine possible correlations between environmental variables and the spatial distribution of plant classification groups. Sampling took place in the third and fourth years following dam removal, and the data was analyzed to determine significant changes and relationships. The results of this study showed that the site was dominated by a volunteer native forb Lotus purshianus (Spanish clover) and a planted native tree Alnus rubra (red alder). Most of the other species found were native volunteer forbs and grasses characteristic of early succession in this region. Both invasive species and planted species, with the exception of Alnus rubra, had low canopy covers. There was a significant increase in native plant canopy cover, as well as total canopy cover, from 2012 to 2013. There were also significant relationships between plant classification groups and environmental variables, including soil infiltration, elevation, and distance from stream. This study will help inform resource managers about the kinds of plants that will volunteer after dam removals and the possible success of re-vegetation projects. Close

• 5. [Article] Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California

  Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California Author: Bross, Lesley Crandell Year: 2015 Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to monitor the progress of such projects. This study evaluated the utility of using Landsat Thematic Mapper remotely-sensed data from 2002 and 2009 to monitor vegetation change induced by instream flow restoration to the Lower Owens River in central California. This study compared the results of an unsupervised classification with an NDVI threshold classification to appraise the resources required and effectiveness of each analysis method. The results were inspected by creating standard remote sensing accuracy error matrices and by correlating landscape pattern metrics with bird indicator species. Both sets of classified maps show a noticeable increase in riparian vegetation in the study area following flow restoration in 2006, indicating an improvement of the quality of bird habitat. The study concluded that analyzing vegetation change using the unsupervised classification technique required more effort, expert knowledge, and supplementary data than using the NDVI threshold method. If these prerequisites are met, the output from the unsupervised classification process produces a more precise map of land cover change than the NDVI threshold method. However, if an analyst is lacking either resources or ground verification data, the NDVI threshold technique is capable of providing a generalized, but still valid evaluation of vegetation change. This conclusion is supported by higher correlations between indicator bird species under the unsupervised classification method than were found with the NDVI threshold method. Title: Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California Author: Bross, Lesley Crandell Year: 2015 Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to monitor the progress of such projects. This study evaluated the utility of using Landsat Thematic Mapper remotely-sensed data from 2002 and 2009 to monitor vegetation change induced by instream flow restoration to the Lower Owens River in central California. This study compared the results of an unsupervised classification with an NDVI threshold classification to appraise the resources required and effectiveness of each analysis method. The results were inspected by creating standard remote sensing accuracy error matrices and by correlating landscape pattern metrics with bird indicator species. Both sets of classified maps show a noticeable increase in riparian vegetation in the study area following flow restoration in 2006, indicating an improvement of the quality of bird habitat. The study concluded that analyzing vegetation change using the unsupervised classification technique required more effort, expert knowledge, and supplementary data than using the NDVI threshold method. If these prerequisites are met, the output from the unsupervised classification process produces a more precise map of land cover change than the NDVI threshold method. However, if an analyst is lacking either resources or ground verification data, the NDVI threshold technique is capable of providing a generalized, but still valid evaluation of vegetation change. This conclusion is supported by higher correlations between indicator bird species under the unsupervised classification method than were found with the NDVI threshold method. Close

• 6. [Article] Riparian Vegetation Assemblages and Associated Landscape Factors Across an Urbanizing Metropolitan Area

  While diverse, native riparian vegetation provides important functions, it remains unclear to what extent these assemblages can persist in urban areas, and under what conditions. We characterized forested ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Riparian Vegetation Assemblages and Associated Landscape Factors Across an Urbanizing Metropolitan Area Author: Von Behren, Christa, Dietrich, Andrew Evans, Yeakley, J. Alan Year: 2014 While diverse, native riparian vegetation provides important functions, it remains unclear to what extent these assemblages can persist in urban areas, and under what conditions. We characterized forested riparian vegetation communities across an urbanizing metropolitan area and examined their relationships with surrounding land cover. We hypothesized that native and hydrophilic species assemblages would correlate with forest cover in the landscape. For each of 30 sites in the Portland–Vancouver metro area, we recorded vegetation at 1-cm intervals along 3 transects using the line-intercept method. Land cover was characterized at 2 scales: within 500 m of each site and across the entire watershed. Multivariate analyses were used to evaluate relationships between species composition and land cover patterns. A classification tree was created to determine landscape predictors of riparian community type. Results indicated a strong relationship between watershed land cover and vegetation diversity and structural complexity. Our hypothesis of native species association with landscape forest cover in urban riparian areas was supported, but we found no clear relationship between land cover and wetland indicator status. Our results suggest that high watershed forest cover (at least 15%) may enable the persistence of functionally diverse, native riparian vegetation communities in urban landscapes. Keywords: Pacific Northwest, plant diversity, plant ecology, riparian forest, urban ecology, urban watersheds. Title: Riparian Vegetation Assemblages and Associated Landscape Factors Across an Urbanizing Metropolitan Area Author: Von Behren, Christa, Dietrich, Andrew Evans, Yeakley, J. Alan Year: 2014 While diverse, native riparian vegetation provides important functions, it remains unclear to what extent these assemblages can persist in urban areas, and under what conditions. We characterized forested riparian vegetation communities across an urbanizing metropolitan area and examined their relationships with surrounding land cover. We hypothesized that native and hydrophilic species assemblages would correlate with forest cover in the landscape. For each of 30 sites in the Portland–Vancouver metro area, we recorded vegetation at 1-cm intervals along 3 transects using the line-intercept method. Land cover was characterized at 2 scales: within 500 m of each site and across the entire watershed. Multivariate analyses were used to evaluate relationships between species composition and land cover patterns. A classification tree was created to determine landscape predictors of riparian community type. Results indicated a strong relationship between watershed land cover and vegetation diversity and structural complexity. Our hypothesis of native species association with landscape forest cover in urban riparian areas was supported, but we found no clear relationship between land cover and wetland indicator status. Our results suggest that high watershed forest cover (at least 15%) may enable the persistence of functionally diverse, native riparian vegetation communities in urban landscapes. Keywords: Pacific Northwest, plant diversity, plant ecology, riparian forest, urban ecology, urban watersheds. Close

• 7. [Article] BEE CAUSE: Is Legislative Action Protecting Bees from Neonicotinoids Justified?

  The potential harm caused to bees and other pollinators by the widespread use of neonicotinoids has the capacity to pose a real and immediate threat to both the environment and humans. The benefits that ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: BEE CAUSE: Is Legislative Action Protecting Bees from Neonicotinoids Justified? Author: Squire, Ursula A. Year: 2016 The potential harm caused to bees and other pollinators by the widespread use of neonicotinoids has the capacity to pose a real and immediate threat to both the environment and humans. The benefits that bees and other pollinators provide, combined with the potential of harm they may face, are important enough to warrant a more comprehensive testing apparatus by which to evaluate threats to their population. Environmentally, bees and other pollinators are an important piece of ecosystemic balance--from pest management to pollination of plants that are a part of many species' diet. Anthropologically speaking, the way of life humans have been accustomed to and even need in order to survive is also largely dependent on a healthy population of bees and other pollinators; up to 70% of plants and vegetables we eat are directly a result of pollinators, and one third of every mouthful humans consume is attributed to pollinators. Without a healthy population of pollinators, the agricultural variety and nutritional availability would drastically decrease. Moreover, these agricultural products pollinators are responsible for also affect billions of dollars on both a national and global level. In many ways, the economic stability of the United States is at an equal risk as the pollinators. For example, an inability to produce many of our own agricultural staples would leave local and regional livelihoods disrupted and change the United States' import/export position. Moreover, this is not just a national problem. Pollinators are responsible for over 150 billion dollars globally in agriculture. Many of the nutrients humans need to be healthy would be in short supply. While scientists continue to study the possible effects of neonicotinoids on pollinators, how should policy makers respond? In this thesis, I argue that the various and drastic ways in which pollinators impact our environment and every day life, combined with the potential of the harsh threats their collapse would entail, warrant a more stringent approach to the evaluation of potential harms like neonicotinoids. An ethical risk assessment, as I define one, would be an appropriate tool to apply to this situation to guide policy makers in drafting regulations even in the absence of scientific certainty. Ethical risk assessments are a tool by which to evaluate the moral and ethical responsibilities in a whole host of different scenarios, one of which is neonics and pollinators. In other words, this ethical risk assessment will be used as an instrument by which to determine whether or not there is a sufficient risk to the population of pollinators, thus determining whether regulation is appropriate. Through application of this risk assessment, I will show that in this particular case regulation is appropriate due to the risks neonics pose to pollinators in light of the evidence that we do have. I develop a set of criteria for an ethical risk assessment. The criteria are a result of a combination of existing literature and some novel connections I draw here. This list, I argue, is what constitutes an ethical risk assessment. Ethical risk assessment, grounded in Utility Theory, is appropriate here because of its calculative apparatus and sociopolitical applicability. Title: BEE CAUSE: Is Legislative Action Protecting Bees from Neonicotinoids Justified? Author: Squire, Ursula A. Year: 2016 The potential harm caused to bees and other pollinators by the widespread use of neonicotinoids has the capacity to pose a real and immediate threat to both the environment and humans. The benefits that bees and other pollinators provide, combined with the potential of harm they may face, are important enough to warrant a more comprehensive testing apparatus by which to evaluate threats to their population. Environmentally, bees and other pollinators are an important piece of ecosystemic balance--from pest management to pollination of plants that are a part of many species' diet. Anthropologically speaking, the way of life humans have been accustomed to and even need in order to survive is also largely dependent on a healthy population of bees and other pollinators; up to 70% of plants and vegetables we eat are directly a result of pollinators, and one third of every mouthful humans consume is attributed to pollinators. Without a healthy population of pollinators, the agricultural variety and nutritional availability would drastically decrease. Moreover, these agricultural products pollinators are responsible for also affect billions of dollars on both a national and global level. In many ways, the economic stability of the United States is at an equal risk as the pollinators. For example, an inability to produce many of our own agricultural staples would leave local and regional livelihoods disrupted and change the United States' import/export position. Moreover, this is not just a national problem. Pollinators are responsible for over 150 billion dollars globally in agriculture. Many of the nutrients humans need to be healthy would be in short supply. While scientists continue to study the possible effects of neonicotinoids on pollinators, how should policy makers respond? In this thesis, I argue that the various and drastic ways in which pollinators impact our environment and every day life, combined with the potential of the harsh threats their collapse would entail, warrant a more stringent approach to the evaluation of potential harms like neonicotinoids. An ethical risk assessment, as I define one, would be an appropriate tool to apply to this situation to guide policy makers in drafting regulations even in the absence of scientific certainty. Ethical risk assessments are a tool by which to evaluate the moral and ethical responsibilities in a whole host of different scenarios, one of which is neonics and pollinators. In other words, this ethical risk assessment will be used as an instrument by which to determine whether or not there is a sufficient risk to the population of pollinators, thus determining whether regulation is appropriate. Through application of this risk assessment, I will show that in this particular case regulation is appropriate due to the risks neonics pose to pollinators in light of the evidence that we do have. I develop a set of criteria for an ethical risk assessment. The criteria are a result of a combination of existing literature and some novel connections I draw here. This list, I argue, is what constitutes an ethical risk assessment. Ethical risk assessment, grounded in Utility Theory, is appropriate here because of its calculative apparatus and sociopolitical applicability. Close

• 8. [Article] Use of Water Indices Derived from Landsat OLI Imagery and GIS to Estimate the Hydrologic Connectivity of Wetlands in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

  This study compared two remote sensing water indices: the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Modified NDWI (MNDWI). Both indices were calculated using publically-available data from the Landsat ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Use of Water Indices Derived from Landsat OLI Imagery and GIS to Estimate the Hydrologic Connectivity of Wetlands in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Author: Blackmore, Debra Sue Year: 2016 This study compared two remote sensing water indices: the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Modified NDWI (MNDWI). Both indices were calculated using publically-available data from the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). The research goal was to determine whether the indices are effective in locating open water and measuring surface soil moisture. To demonstrate the application of water indices, analysis was conducted for freshwater wetlands in the Tualatin River Basin in northwestern Oregon to estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence between these wetlands and nearby water bodies. Remote sensing techniques have been used to study wetlands in recent decades; however, scientific studies have rarely addressed hydrologic connectivity and hydrologic permanence, in spite of the documented importance of these properties. Research steps were designed to be straightforward for easy repeatability: 1) locate sample sites, 2) predict wetness with water indices, 3) estimate wetness with soil samples from the field, 4) validate the index predictions against the soil samples from the field, and 5) in the demonstration step, estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence. Results indicate that both indices predicted the presence of large, open water features with clarity; that dry conditions were predicted by MNDWI with more subtle differentiation; and that NDWI results seem more sensitive to sites with vegetation. Use of this low-cost method to discover patterns of surface moisture in the landscape could directly improve the ability to manage wetland environments. Title: Use of Water Indices Derived from Landsat OLI Imagery and GIS to Estimate the Hydrologic Connectivity of Wetlands in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Author: Blackmore, Debra Sue Year: 2016 This study compared two remote sensing water indices: the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Modified NDWI (MNDWI). Both indices were calculated using publically-available data from the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). The research goal was to determine whether the indices are effective in locating open water and measuring surface soil moisture. To demonstrate the application of water indices, analysis was conducted for freshwater wetlands in the Tualatin River Basin in northwestern Oregon to estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence between these wetlands and nearby water bodies. Remote sensing techniques have been used to study wetlands in recent decades; however, scientific studies have rarely addressed hydrologic connectivity and hydrologic permanence, in spite of the documented importance of these properties. Research steps were designed to be straightforward for easy repeatability: 1) locate sample sites, 2) predict wetness with water indices, 3) estimate wetness with soil samples from the field, 4) validate the index predictions against the soil samples from the field, and 5) in the demonstration step, estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence. Results indicate that both indices predicted the presence of large, open water features with clarity; that dry conditions were predicted by MNDWI with more subtle differentiation; and that NDWI results seem more sensitive to sites with vegetation. Use of this low-cost method to discover patterns of surface moisture in the landscape could directly improve the ability to manage wetland environments. Close

• 9. [Article] Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon

  This report summarizes vegetation data collected in July 2015 in wet meadow and marshy habitats on the Double O Unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR). Because vegetation sampled at the Double ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2016 This report summarizes vegetation data collected in July 2015 in wet meadow and marshy habitats on the Double O Unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR). Because vegetation sampled at the Double O was wetter and more alkaline than wet meadows sampled at the south end of the refuge in 2012 and 2013 (Christy 2014), data from the Double O Unit were analyzed and summarized separately. A total of 83 plots were sampled in 2015, and analysis of the data identified 14 plant associations: Alopecurus aequalis - Juncus balticus, Alopecurus pratensis - Potentilla anserina, Carex praegracilis - Juncus balticus, Cicuta douglasii - Carex nebrascensis, Distichlis spicata - Amphiscirpus nevadensis, Distichlis spicata - Nitrophila occidentalis, Eleocharis palustris - Juncus balticus, Eleocharis rostellata, Juncus balticus - Glaux maritima, Hippuris vulgaris - Triglochin maritima, Leymus triticoides - Juncus balticus, Schoenoplectus americanus, Spartina gracilis, and Triglochin maritima. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores and species composition help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. Seven of the 14 plant associations are listed in the International Vegetation Classification, and the remaining types are provisional Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2016 This report summarizes vegetation data collected in July 2015 in wet meadow and marshy habitats on the Double O Unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR). Because vegetation sampled at the Double O was wetter and more alkaline than wet meadows sampled at the south end of the refuge in 2012 and 2013 (Christy 2014), data from the Double O Unit were analyzed and summarized separately. A total of 83 plots were sampled in 2015, and analysis of the data identified 14 plant associations: Alopecurus aequalis - Juncus balticus, Alopecurus pratensis - Potentilla anserina, Carex praegracilis - Juncus balticus, Cicuta douglasii - Carex nebrascensis, Distichlis spicata - Amphiscirpus nevadensis, Distichlis spicata - Nitrophila occidentalis, Eleocharis palustris - Juncus balticus, Eleocharis rostellata, Juncus balticus - Glaux maritima, Hippuris vulgaris - Triglochin maritima, Leymus triticoides - Juncus balticus, Schoenoplectus americanus, Spartina gracilis, and Triglochin maritima. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores and species composition help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. Seven of the 14 plant associations are listed in the International Vegetation Classification, and the remaining types are provisional Close

• 10. [Article] Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Micro-UAVs, Drones) in Plant Ecology

  Premise of the study: Low-elevation surveys with small aerial drones (micro–unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs]) may be used for a wide variety of applications in plant ecology, including mapping vegetation ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Micro-UAVs, Drones) in Plant Ecology Author: Cruzan, Mitchell B., Weinstein, Ben G., Grasty, Monica R., Kohrn, Brendan F., Hendrickson, Elizabeth C., Arredondo, Tina M., Thompson, Pamela G. Year: 2016 Premise of the study: Low-elevation surveys with small aerial drones (micro–unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs]) may be used for a wide variety of applications in plant ecology, including mapping vegetation over small- to medium-sized regions. We provide an overview of methods and procedures for conducting surveys and illustrate some of these applications. Methods: Aerial images were obtained by flying a small drone along transects over the area of interest. Images were used to create a composite image (orthomosaic) and a digital surface model (DSM). Vegetation classification was conducted manually and using an automated routine. Coverage of an individual species was estimated from aerial images. Results: We created a vegetation map for the entire region from the orthomosaic and DSM, and mapped the density of one species. Comparison of our manual and automated habitat classification confirmed that our mapping methods were accurate. A species with high contrast to the background matrix allowed adequate estimate of its coverage. Discussion: The example surveys demonstrate that small aerial drones are capable of gathering large amounts of information on the distribution of vegetation and individual species with minimal impact to sensitive habitats. Low-elevation aerial surveys have potential for a wide range of applications in plant ecology. Title: Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Micro-UAVs, Drones) in Plant Ecology Author: Cruzan, Mitchell B., Weinstein, Ben G., Grasty, Monica R., Kohrn, Brendan F., Hendrickson, Elizabeth C., Arredondo, Tina M., Thompson, Pamela G. Year: 2016 Premise of the study: Low-elevation surveys with small aerial drones (micro–unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs]) may be used for a wide variety of applications in plant ecology, including mapping vegetation over small- to medium-sized regions. We provide an overview of methods and procedures for conducting surveys and illustrate some of these applications. Methods: Aerial images were obtained by flying a small drone along transects over the area of interest. Images were used to create a composite image (orthomosaic) and a digital surface model (DSM). Vegetation classification was conducted manually and using an automated routine. Coverage of an individual species was estimated from aerial images. Results: We created a vegetation map for the entire region from the orthomosaic and DSM, and mapped the density of one species. Comparison of our manual and automated habitat classification confirmed that our mapping methods were accurate. A species with high contrast to the background matrix allowed adequate estimate of its coverage. Discussion: The example surveys demonstrate that small aerial drones are capable of gathering large amounts of information on the distribution of vegetation and individual species with minimal impact to sensitive habitats. Low-elevation aerial surveys have potential for a wide range of applications in plant ecology. Close