The use of archival Landsat MSS and ancillary data in a GIS environment to map historical change in an urban riparian habitat

Abstract

Recent changes in the condition of the riparian habitat of the Tanque Verde Creek in Tucson, Arizona prompted an investigation of the dynamics of the native plant communities, hydrology, and climate in the area. The project was an initial attempt to assess and monitor the changing condition of native vegetation along the Tanque Verde Creek during the period 1983 through 1989, and to discover if mapped changes in vegetation patterns could be correlated with available ground data. Analysis techniques involved the use and evaluation of archival Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) multitemporal satellite data coupled with pertinent hydrologic and meteorologic measurements. The MSS data were used to develop indices of vegetation condition for the years 1983 through 1989. A wide array of multitemporal comparisons were constructed between the vegetation indices and well water levels, temperature, and precipitation. Varying levels of statistical correlation between changes in vegetation indices, water level, and climatic variables were discovered. Multitemporal maps of changing vegetation condition and well water levels reveal a definite decline in both after 1985. In addition, the multitemporal satellite data provide a viable and important historical view of changing vegetation condition within the Tanque Verde riparian area.