Date of Completion

3-20-2020

Embargo Period

3-20-2020

Keywords

Land Use/Cover Change; Invasive Species; Driving Forces; Change Prediction

Major Advisor

Chuanrong Zhang

Associate Advisor

Weidong Li

Associate Advisor

Scott Stephenson

Associate Advisor

Mark Boyer

Associate Advisor

Kathleen Segerson

Field of Study

Geography

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Open Access

Open Access

Abstract

Land use/cover change (LUCC) is a major threat to ecosystems. It affects the abundance and distribution of invasive species. LUCC modeling is an important approach to understand what happened on the landscape and what may change in the future. This doctoral dissertation aims to predict LUCC in the Long Island Sound Watersheds and understand its effect on invasive species by using a combination of modeling methods and GIS analyses. The research includes the following aspects: First, the analysis of driving forces of LUCC, which is a prerequisite to investigate and manage the effects and consequences of LUCC. Second, the interpretation of spatial patterns of landscapes, which measures the auto and cross correlations of different landscape categories. Third, the prediction of future LUCCs, which is essential for understanding and highlighting what happened and might happen over landscapes. Fourth, the estimation of potential effects of the future LUCC on the range size of an invasive species (glossy buckthorn, Frangula alnus, as an example), which is important for conserving habitat and other natural resources. The broader impacts of this study, including the prospective simulation, are that it may provide sustainable and efficient decision supports to land use planners, resource managers, and conservation practitioners for the land planning, ecological sustainability, and environmental management, and it may also support the development of proactive strategies to overcome the challenges caused by LUCC and migrate the economic costs associated with invasive species.

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