Northern Territory University, Darwin
Greg Lyons
1999
Summary |
Aims | Research Methods
|
Mimosa pigra is a noxious woody weed invading the coastal
floodplains of Northern Australia. A prolific producer of floating
seeds, it forms dense strands that render large areas of floodplain
inaccessible to people, cattle and native fauna. Mimosa invades
grassland communities on open floodplains and forms dense areas on
inaccessible, monospecific shrubland up to 6m in height. By 1997 it
had a range of spread from the Fitzmaurice River near the Western
Australia border, to the Roper River area on the Gulf of
Carpentaria. Investigation of the spectral signal characteristics
of Mimosa with a spectral radiometer will assist in discrimination
of the weed in satellite remote sensing images.
Analysis of spatial distribution in combination with vegetation
and soil data will determine if Mimosa preferentially invades
particular habitats. This would assist in identifying areas at risk
of invasion from Mimosa pigra.
Temporal analysis of the spread of mimosa will assist in
forecasting infestation size in the absence of control
programs.
- Using a Spectral Radiometer, investigate the electromagnetic
spectral characteristics of Mimosa pigra.
- Use the spectral signal to discriminate Mimosa pigra in
remotely sensed images.
- Using Remote Sensing, GIS and historical data, produce a
temporal analysis of the spread of Mimosa pigra on the floodplains
of the Northern Territory.
Methodology will be devised after discussion with Dr Waqar Ahmad
and Dr Garry Cook and will be dependant on the equipment and data
resources identified in the first stage of the project. A spectral
radiometer will investigate the spectral characterisitics of Mimosa
in an area of dense, monospecific mimosa. These results will then
be applied to Satellite imagery using the ERDAS IMAGINE Remote
Sensing package.
Historical data will be entered into a GIS software package to
determine the rate and location of the spread of Mimosa pigra. This
data will be added to available soil and vegetation data in an
attempt to define the preferred habitat for rapid spread.
