RANGES improves satellite‐based information and land cover assessments in southwest United States

Abstract

Because of its influence on hydrology climate, and global biogeochemical cycles, land cover change may be the most significant agent of global environmental change. Land degradation results not only from land cover conversion, but also land cover function. For example, human activities in the southwest U.S., such as grazing regimes and fire frequency, are accelerating functional changes to fragile rangeland ecosystems, causing increased proportions of shrubs in grasslands, decreases in overall vegetation density and the introduction and spread of non‐native invasive species.