GeoResources Institute

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GeoResources Institute
NASA Proposal Invasive Aquatic Plants John D.
Madsen GeoResources Institute and Department of
Plant and Soil Sciences Mississippi State
University
www.gri.msstate.edu
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GeoResources Institute
MSU / NASA Research Purpose

• Provide a cost-effective remote sensing tool for
  the monitoring of invasive aquatic plant
  populations

Madsen
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GeoResources Institute
Benefits of Aquatic Plants

• Stabilize lakes sediments, reducing resuspension
• Increase sedimentation, reducing turbidity
• Provide habitat for insects, forage fish, fish
  spawning and YOY fish
• Provide food for waterfowl, other animals

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GeoResources Institute
Nonindigenous vs. Native Community
Myriophyllum spicatum
Vallisneria americana
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GeoResources Institute
Growth Forms of Aquatic Species
MDNR 1994
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GeoResources Institute
Target Species for NASA Proposal

• EMERGENT Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria
• FLOATING Waterhyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes
• SUBMERSED Hydrilla, Hydrilla
  verticillata

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GeoResources Institute
Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria

• Emergent herbaceous perennial
• Common invader to wetlands
• Reduces wetland plant diversity
• Degrades wildlife habitat

Hybridizes with ornamental varieties
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GeoResources Institute
Purple Loosestrife Distribution

• Purple loosestrife is a common invader to
  wetlands in northern and mid-continentalstates

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Waterhyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms
Inflorescence
Parent and daughter plant

• Floating rosette with showy purple flower
• Vegetative reproduction from daughter plants on
  stolons some reproduction from seed
• Native to Central and South America
• Worldwide 1 aquatic weed

Seeds
Seedling
Pictures by Madsen
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GeoResources Institute
Waterhyacinth Distribution

• Gulf and S Atlantic States, CA
• Largely under maintenance management in FL

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GeoResources Institute
Hydrilla Hydrilla verticillata

• Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Mich.),
• Severe noxious plant in southern US, spreading
  northward
• Contaminant in commercially-available water
  lilies
• Spreads by tuber, turion, and fragment
• Two biotypes found in US

Madsen
R.M. Stewart
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GeoResources Institute
Hydrilla Distribution

• Dioecious biotype in southern areas (S CA, TX,
  LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, TN, NC
• Monoecious biotype in WA, N CA, VA, NC, DE, PA,
  NJ, CT, MA, ME

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Study Approach

• Small-scale studies to capture spectral and
  temporal (phenological) features
• Landscape studies with existing data to evaluate
  patch size
• Landscape studies with co-collection of ground
  truth data

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GeoResources Institute
Small-scale studies

• Small populations on MSU campus (situations
  shown are at Lewisville, TX)

Madsen
Madsen
Madsen
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GeoResources Institute
Small-scale studies
Madsen

• Temporal features Bimonthly measurements of
  plant growth, phenological state
• Spectral features Bimonthly (or monthly)
  measurements of spectral quality related to
  growth stage

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GeoResources Institute
Collaborative landscape studies
Utilize existing datasets collected by management
agencies around the country matched to past
satellite data
Madsen
Interact with potential users around the country
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Map of Collaborator States
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Landscape Assessment

• Regional populations of purple loosestrife,
  waterhyacinth, and hydrilla will be evaluated
  using NASA satellite assets with time-linked
  ground-truth
• Point-intercept maps before classification
• Classification points re-visited for analysis

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GeoResources Institute
Field Point Intercept Survey
Madsen

• Navigate to set points in lake or wetland
• Species and environment attributes recorded
• Return to points classified by satellite image
  interpretation for verification

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GeoResources Institute
Integrated Invasive Species Research at
Mississippi State University MSU/USGS Joint
Project GeoResources Institute David R. Shaw,
Director
www.gri.msstate.edu
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GeoResources Institute
MSU / USGS Project Components

• Research
• Management-oriented efforts on invasive aquatic
  and terrestrial plants and invasive invertebrates
• Extension and Outreach
• Rapid dissemination of information in a
  web-based format
• Regional Coordination
• State and Mid-South Invasive Species Alliances

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GeoResources Institute
Task Areas

• Invasive Aquatic Plant Research
• Invasive Terrestrial Plant Research
• Cactus Moth and Native Cactus Distribution
  Detection Network
• Extension and Outreach
• Regional Coordination

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GeoResources Institute
Conclusion

• Management goal is maintenance of low invasive
  plant population with diverse native plant
  community at most economical cost

Before management of invasive plant
After management of invasive plant
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GeoResources Institute
Contact
Dr. John D. Madsen Mississippi State
University GeoResources Institute Box
9652 Mississippi State, MS 39762-9652 Ph.
662-325-2428 Fax [phone] E-mail
jmadsen_at_gri.msstate.edu
Chetta Owens
Madsen