Advanced systems data for mapping Emperor Penguin habitats in Antarctica

Abstract

Commercial orbital sensor systems combined with other resource data from the U.S. Geological Survey National Civil Applications Program (NCAP) may offer an effective way of mapping Emperor penguin habitats and their response to regional climate change in Antarctica. This project examined these resources to determine their applicability for mapping Emperor penguin habitats to support the National Science Foundation. This work is especially significant to investigate satellite-based imaging as an alternative to intrusive in-the-field enumeration of Emperor penguins and the potential of applying these procedures to support The National Map (TNP). Introduction The mapping and monitoring of habitat change in ecosystems in the Antarctic is highly dependent upon a continuous source of high-quality and high-resolution spatial data. Acquiring a continuous source of reliable data to aid in understanding, quantifying, and predicting how these ecosystems function and respond to regional climate warming is vital to scientists in maintaining a highly effective long-term monitoring program. In 2001, the Antarctic Biology and Medicine Program, National Science Foundation (NSF), Arlington, Virginia, joined the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Reston, Virginia, to investigate orbital sensor data for acquiring enumeration data of Emperor penguins in the Ross Sea area of Antarctica. The ultimate goal of this project, in support of NSF grantee Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Kooyman, Scripps Oceanographic Institute, is to be able to monitor the affect of regional climate change on the Emperor penguin habitats. High-resolution sensor data collected by commercial satellites like DigitalGlobe (QuickBird) and OrbImage (OrbView-3) offer fast and continuous wide-area coverage in Antarctica. DigitalGlobe imagery was collected over selected monitoring sites in the Ross Sea area in 2001 through 2003. The researchers used other resources from the USGS National Civil Applications Program (NCAP) to supplement the DigitalGlobe data. Previous attempts to develop population counts of Arctic and Antarctic wildlife are well documented. In 1988 Graham Robertson, as part of the 35 ANARE expedition to Mawson, applied various platforms to count Emperor penguins including stepladders and __________________________ Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. cameras hung from a helium-filled balloon (Robertson, 1990). Comparing counts made by observers on the ground with photographs from the remotely operated camera, Robertson and his colleagues calculated that on very cold days as many as 10 Emperor penguins could huddle within one square meter of space. Huddling by male Emperors which usually form in late July and early August is the most efficient way of minimizing space between themselves and keeping warm during the long incubation fast, since the warmer they are the longer their fat lasts. Due to the lack of low sunlight, the researchers could not obtain satellite images of these huddle formations in the winter months of July and early August. In addition, two attempts to collect geodetic ground control data of Cape Crozier, the primary project site, were unsuccessful. Consequently, we aborted the development of an orthobase and automated method for counting Emperors in huddles. Instead we used October and September satellite images of disbanded huddles and applied GIS point data entry and retrieval operation. A detailed explanation of the NCAP data used in this study is not possible because of its unique nature. See the references for Civil Application Committee (CAC) published bulletins released to the public for specific information about the use of the NCAP and related Imagery Derived Products (IDP’s) and Global Fiducials Program (GFP): Project Test Area and Source Data The primary project area, Cape Crozier, is located in the vicinity of the Ross Sea (figure1). In addition to the project area, the authors previewed Beaufort Island, Cape Washington, Cape Roget, Coulman Island, and Franklin Island. The home base of the project, McMurdo Station, is a year-round U.S. Antarctic base operated by Ratheon Corporation under contract with the NSF. Cape Crozier as well as most sites in the Ross Sea vicinity is usually reached by helicopter or Twin-Otter aircraft. With few exceptions, permits are required to work or visit these sites under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541. The NSF, which administers the act, issued the necessary permits to conduct the fieldwork. The Quickbird satellite data (1-m resolution panchromatic and 4-m resolution multispectral images) were collected for this project during October 2002 and September 2003. Supplemental data were acquired from the NCAP and the U.S. Antarctic Resource Center (US-ARC). The primary image processing and mapping components were ERDAS Imagine 8.5 (including Arc-structured Vector Module), ArcGIS 8.1, and SOCET Set 4.4 photogrammetric software. Field Surveys To verify the accuracy of the satellite count, Jerry Kooyman and fellow biologists manually counted selected Emperor groups during the 2001, 2002, and 2003 summer field seasons. The researchers attempted to conduct the counts during the satellite flyover