NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Alaska at the Crossroads of Migration: Space Based OrnithologyUnderstanding bird migration on a global scale is one of the most compelling and challenging problems of modern biology with major implications for human health and conservation biology. Revolutionary advances in remote sensing now provide us with near real-time measurements of atmospheric and land surface conditions at high spatial resolution over entire continents. We use spatially-explicit, individual based bird migration models driven by numerical weather prediction models of atmospheric conditions, dynamic habitat suitability maps derived from remotely sensed land surface conditions, biophysiological models, and biological field data to simulate migration routes, timing, energy budgets, and survival of individual birds and populations. Long-distance migratory birds travel annually between breeding grounds in Alaska and wintering grounds in Latin Amierica. Approximately 25% of these species are potential vectors of Avian Influenza. Alaska is at the crossroads of Asian and New World migratory flyways and is likely to be a point of introduction of Asian H5N1 AI into the western hemisphere. If/when an infected bird is detected, a pressing question will be where was this bird several days ago, and where is it likely to go after it was released from the survey site? Answers to such questions will increase effectiveness of AI surveillance and mitigation measures. From a conservation perspective, Alaska's diverse landscape provides breeding sites for many migrants, and climatic and land surface changes along migratory flyways in the western hemisphere may reduce bird survival and physical condition upon arrival at Alaskan breeding territories, success and migrant populations.
Document ID
20070017243
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Deppe, Jill
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Catonsville, MD, United States)
Wessels, Konrad
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Catonsville, MD, United States)
Smith, James A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available