Short-Term Dynamics in Changing Environments: A Geospatial Analysis of Seasonal Forest Response and Extractive Resource Entitlements at Mt. Kasigau, Kenya

这项研究建立在山上的生态和民族植物学研究基础上。肯尼亚东南部的卡西高，那里的森林季节变化陡峭，从落叶相思-丛林，穿过山地混交林，到常绿森林。总的研究主题是，对这一生态复杂地貌中植物群落的生物物理变化的局部短期分析应提供与人力资源适应能力动态变化相对应的生计状况的敏感指标。这项研究的重点是木本植物产品的提取，作为一种重要的资源权利，并在三个项目目标下将使用做法与植被类型多样性的生态模式和生物物理动力学联系起来，以(1)测量生物物理条件下的时空动态；(2)调查环境条件、植被反应和资源提取活动之间的时空关系；(3)综合地球空间措施和对短期和长期生态趋势和生计趋势的当地解释。这项研究应用生态实地数据和遥感分析，对整个山地景观的植物群落类型和多样性格局进行了精细绘制。通过密集收集关于森林覆盖率、生物物理参数和木本植物提取实践的空间显式数据，该研究测试了不同森林类型如何对水分条件下的短期动态做出反应，获得了关于资源利用实践如何随着短期环境变化而变化的定量和定性测量，并与当地居民共同研究了提取活动如何长期潜在地影响森林资源。预计的研究成果有助于更好地了解热带季节性森林的短期生态动态与当地人口对脆弱景观的适应能力之间的关系，从而有助于应用保护科学。降雨量的年际和年内变化是影响热带季节森林的主要环境参数，以及依赖这些资源谋生的当地居民的适应行为。根据对半干旱的东非地区全球气候变化的预测，降雨时间、降雨量和降雨地点的短期变化只会更加不可预测。作为一个养护研究项目，这项研究审查了“短期”气候变化情景下森林资源和人类生计的脆弱性，在解释资源模式和变化时结合了遥感和当地知识，并认识到有必要更好地了解当地人口的适应能力并采取行动。这项研究促进了美国和肯尼亚学生之间以及与芒特蒙特当地居民之间的合作学习机会。肯尼亚卡西高。该项目由NSF地理与空间科学项目和NSF国际科学与工程办公室共同支持。

This study builds from ecological and ethnobotanical research at Mt. Kasigau, Southeastern Kenya, where there is a steep gradient in seasonal forest change from deciduous Acacia-Commiphora bushland, through mixed montane woodlands, and to evergreen forest. The overall research thesis is that local, short-term analyses of biophysical changes in plant communities across this ecologically complex landscape should provide a sensitive indicator of livelihood conditions that correspond with dynamic changes in human-resource adaptive capacities. The study focuses on the extraction of woody plant products as one important resource entitlement and relates use practices with ecological patterns of diversity in vegetation types and biophysical dynamics under three project objectives to (1) measure spatio-temporal dynamics in biophysical conditions; (2) investigate spatio-temporal relationships between environmental conditions, vegetative response, and resource extractive activities; and (3) integrate geo-spatial measures and local interpretations of short-term to long-term ecological trends and livelihood responses to those trends. The research applies ecological field data and remote sensing analyses to fine-scale mapping of plant community types and patterns of diversity across the montane landscape. By intensively collecting spatially-explicit data on forest cover, biophysical parameters, and woody plant extraction practices, the study tests how different forest types respond to short-term dynamics in moisture conditions, gains quantitative and qualitative measures on how resource-use practices change in relation to short-term environmental change, and jointly examines with local residents how extractive activities potentially influence forest resources over the long term. Projected research outcomes contribute to applied conservation science by better understanding relationships between short-term ecological dynamics in tropical seasonal forests and the adaptive capacities of local populations in vulnerable landscapes. Inter- and intra-annual variations in rainfall are dominant environmental parameters influencing tropical seasonal forests, and the adaptive behaviors of local residents who rely on these resources for their livelihoods. Short-term variations in when the rains will come, how much rain will come, and where the rains will fall are only predicted to be more unpredictable under projections for global climate change in semi-arid East Africa. As a conservation research project, this study examines the vulnerability of forest resources and human livelihoods under "short-term" climate change scenarios, combines remote sensing and local knowledge when interpreting resource patterns and change, and recognizes the need to better understand and act on the adaptive capacities of local populations. The study promotes collaborative learning opportunities between U.S. and Kenyan students, and with local residents at Mt. Kasigau, Kenya. This project is jointly supported by the NSF Geography and Spatial Sciences Program and the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering.