Access to Real-Time Global Information in the Classroom can Enhance our Understanding of the Dynamic Biosphere

Stuart H. Gage
Michigan State University
Computational Ecology and Visualization Laboratory
www.cevl.msu.edu

Access to Real-Time Global Information in the Classroom can Enhance our Understanding of the Dynamic Biosphere

Stuart H. Gage
Michigan State University
Computational Ecology and Visualization Laboratory
www.cevl.msu.edu

Slide 3

The Biosphere

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 Natural and Human–induced
change in time and space

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Intra Annual Variation
(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)

Inter Annual Variation
(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)

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Black Cutworm Movement Across The US

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Initiatives to Enhance Technologies to Assess The Status of the Biosphere

NexRad Network

MSU-ESSE Faculty

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NexRad Data (Weather)

Monitoring Life in the Atmosphere
Birdcast:An example
www.birdcast.com

Analysis of Bird Migration

Avian Flow in the Atmosphere

The reflectivity image shows a pattern very similar to bird exodus during nocturnal migration.
The velocity image shows that most of these targets have very low velocities.
The targets detected by the radar, in this case, are not birds but mostly insects and bats.
These patches represent isolated showers even though the radar is operating in Clear Air mode.

More than just pretty pictures

Global scale
High spatial – temporal resolution data on:

Theme
 Natural and Human–induced
change in time and space

Slide 30

Organism -> Biosphere

Spatial Integration
at Multiple
Scales

Phenological Stages of Higher Plants

Regional Vegetation Change

Insect Population change

Regional Population Change

Slide 37

Land Use Land Cover

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The Digital Earth Initiative

NEON Objectives

Access to satellite imagery

Beaver Island, MI

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