This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page.
Content Created by
Satellite or aerial imagery can be described as a direct measurement or primary data source. Products derived from the primary source are considered secondary sources. Secondary sources can be derived by digitizing and obtaining vector information from imagery. With imagery serving as the basemap, you can use a mouse to perform manual digitizing, the process of converting geographic features on an analog map into digital format. As in any human procedure, errors can be introduced.
Present the following scenario to your students and have them follow the steps to use the Landsat Explorer App to identify and measure deforestation in the rainforest of Rondônia.
Scenario
Deforestation is defined as the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Clear-cutting is a type of deforestation logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. The practice of clear-cutting can be clearly seen from imagery in the state of Rondônia in Brazil. The deforestation in Rondônia is seen in a pattern that looks like a fish skeleton because the cutting fans out along the roads. You have been asked to provide a quick approximation of how much of Rondônia’s land has been affected by clear-cutting. You have access to both high-resolution imagery and a Landsat 8 image that shows dry and wet areas.
- Click Imagery with Metadata.
- Click Open in Map Viewer
- Click Content in the left panel
- Zoom all the way out to the world view of the map.
- Search for Rondônia, Brazil.
Take a few minutes to zoom in and out and observe the fish-sekeleton-like pattern of clear-cutting in Rondônia. As you zoom inward, you can see that the land is now agricultural. - Click Basemap on the left and change to Imagery with Labels
Ask students:
- What are the major cities in Rondônia?
- Zoom into the city areas. Describe the urban areas.
To calculate the percentage of Rondônia that has been deforested by clearcutting, you need to know two numbers: the total number of square miles of Rondônia and the number of square miles already clear-cut. Remember, at the beginning of the exercise, it was determined that this secondary information can be obtained from the primary image source. - Zoom out so the entire state of Rondônia is visible.
- On the upper right, click Measure and then the Area icon. The unit is square miles.
- After clicking the Area icon, digitize around the country by selecting points and creating a polygon. When the polygon is complete, record the area.
Total area of Rondônia: _______ square miles - Zoom in and digitize around the areas of Rondônia that have been deforested by clear-cutting. You need to digitize several polygons and add the areas together for a total.
Total area of deforestation: _______ square miles
Total area of deforestation / Total area of Rondônia x 100 = _______% of deforested land
In the previous section, high-resolution aerial imagery was used to observe Rondônia. In the next section, a Landsat 8 Moisture Index image will be used. The moisture index has been derived from the most recent Landsat 8 imagery and is an estimated level of moisture in vegetation. Wetlands and other vegetated areas with high levels of moisture appear as blue, whereas deserts appear as tan to brown. The Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) is calculated by using the near infrared (band 5) and shortwave infrared (band 6). The map is updated daily, retaining the four most recent scenes for each path/row that has cloud coverage of less than 50 percent. - Open The Moisture Index: How wet or dry?
- On the right hand panel at the bottom, click Data Source. Search for "Landsat 8 (Moisture Index). This will pull up the Landsat 8 (Moisture Index)
- Click Landsat 8 (Moisture Index) and then Open in Map Viewer.
- In the upper-right search box, search for Rondôndia, Brazil.
- Below Details on the left, click Contents. this shows the two layers on the map. you can durn off the Landsat 8 (Moisture Index) to observe the outline of Rondônia.
Have students write a description of the deforested land using the Moisture Index Legend. - Following the procedure explained in steps 8–10, digitize around the deforested region and perform the calculation for percentage of clear-cutting again. You may use the total area of Rondônia that you obtained previously.
Total area of deforestation: _______ square miles.
Total area of Rondônia: _______ square miles.
Total area of deforestation / total area of Rondônia x 100 = _______% of deforested land.
Subjects & Disciplines
-
Earth Science
- Climatology
- Meteorology
- Geography
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Opening an existing online map
- Interpreting clear-cut forest regions
- Digitizing on screen
- Measuring on screen
- Calculating percentage
- Interpreting Landsat 8 (Moisture Index) imagery
- Visualizing derived moisture content imagery
Teaching Approach
- Learning-for-use
Teaching Methods
- Hands-on learning
Skills Summary
This activity targets the following skills:
What You’ll Need
Required Technology
- Internet Access: Required
- Tech Setup: 1 computer per learner, 1 computer per pair, 1 computer per small group
Physical Space
- Classroom
- Computer lab
Other Notes
ESRI ArcGIS Online account NOT required.
Background Information
Prior Knowledge
- None
Recommended Prior Activities
- None
Vocabulary
wetness.
method for monitoring soil’s water budget, based on the concept of potential evapotranspiration.
object that orbits around something else. Satellites can be natural, like moons, or artificial.
photographs of a planet taken by or from a satellite.
having to do with city life.
-
Connecting the World with Maps
Resources designed to help learners develop a deeper understanding of the surrounding world. We all use maps in our lives, but these self-guided activities provide learners an integrated exploration into maps and the data behind them to see patterns and make connections between the relationships between their communities and the environment. The materials featured in this collection were created by our partners at Esri.
-
Managing Resources
Individuals, communities, and countries depend on a variety of different resources to help them thrive: electricity, timber, oil, water, and food to name a few. Because these basic resources are such a large part of our daily lives, it is important that we manage them responsibly to ensure future generations have what they need. Human civilization heavily impacts the environment and the rich natural resources we depend on. All communities face the challenge of managing resources responsibly, not only for themselves, but for the sake of the world around them. Learn more about how individuals and communities can manage their resources to support themselves and the world around them.
-
-
Rainforests, Explained
Rainforests play an invaluable role in sustaining life, but every year, large portions of them are cut down for logging, mining, and cattle ranches.
-
Rainforests 101
Rainforests are home to over half of the world's plant and animal species. Learn about tropical and temperate rainforests, how they contribute to the global ecosystem, and the conservation efforts to protect these biomes.
-
Connecting the World with Maps
Resources designed to help learners develop a deeper understanding of the surrounding world. We all use maps in our lives, but these self-guided activities provide learners an integrated exploration into maps and the data behind them to see patterns and make connections between the relationships between their communities and the environment. The materials featured in this collection were created by our partners at Esri.
-
Managing Resources
Individuals, communities, and countries depend on a variety of different resources to help them thrive: electricity, timber, oil, water, and food to name a few. Because these basic resources are such a large part of our daily lives, it is important that we manage them responsibly to ensure future generations have what they need. Human civilization heavily impacts the environment and the rich natural resources we depend on. All communities face the challenge of managing resources responsibly, not only for themselves, but for the sake of the world around them. Learn more about how individuals and communities can manage their resources to support themselves and the world around them.
-
-
Rainforests, Explained
Rainforests play an invaluable role in sustaining life, but every year, large portions of them are cut down for logging, mining, and cattle ranches.
-
Rainforests 101
Rainforests are home to over half of the world's plant and animal species. Learn about tropical and temperate rainforests, how they contribute to the global ecosystem, and the conservation efforts to protect these biomes.