Agriculture Landscape Change

We are using a combination of satellite imagery taken over a series of years and vegetation surveys conducted with small, unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS)—often referred to as drones—to better understand how changes in vegetation in landscapes dominated by agriculture may be affecting wildlife populations.  For example, some species of wildlife, like Columbia sharp-tailed grouse and mule deer, heavily use southern Idaho lands that were historically in active agriculture production but have now been planted to mixes of perennial grasses, broadleaf plants, and shrubs.  

Changes in agriculture markets, federal programs, and the economy can alter how the wildlife habitat in these landscapes change and with this project we’re seeking to better understand wildlife responses to these changes.