Camera

Microbial biofilm communities, which are comprised of bacteria, diatoms, protozoa, and fungi, inhabit the surface of intertidal mudflats. These communities represent a large proportion of shorebirds’ diets, so understanding biofilm distribution, quantity, and nutritional value supports efforts to manage shorebird populations.

Coastal wetlands and estuaries are critical ecosystems that serve as the bridge between land and sea, provide habitat for numerous species of fish and wildlife, and offer protection from storms and waves for inland communities. When these environments evolve naturally, they can adapt to rising sea levels by retreating landward, and fish and wildlife follow suit.

Seagrasses, which are submerged marine plants, have been declining globally at increasing rates. This downward trend is concerning because seagrasses provide numerous ecosystem services including nutrient cycling, sediment stabilization, wave attenuation, and carbon sequestration. Furthermore, they are important habitat for recreationally and commercially fished marine species, including many species of shellfish, finfish, crabs, and shrimp.

Ice wedges are a common feature of permafrost regions that form when cracks in frozen ground are filled by ice. Because they are located near the ground surface and have little covering insulation, they are susceptible to thaw and can be an early warning sign of permafrost loss. Ice wedges are also responsible for much of the unique polygonal patterned ground in the Arctic.

The potential implications of climate change on Pacific salmon are a concern to resource managers in Alaska as warming trends continue in high-latitude streams. Temperature monitoring is needed to assess the potential ecological changes to salmon spawning habitat in coldwater refugia streams. The Funny River and Moose River are two coldwater streams on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge that support a variety of salmon species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is using airborne remote sensing technologies to enhance migratory bird surveys to 1) ensure safety of aircrews conducting surveys by allowing flight at higher altitudes, 2) improve the quality of collected population and habitat data by quantifying and minimizing error rates, and 3) increase bird survey efficiency and utility by creating consistent automated processes.

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service deployed very-high resolution (VHR), multi-camera sensor arrays on fixed-winged aircraft to develop digital aerial imagery surveys in support of the Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS). In 2021, AMAPPS collected over 1.8 million images from aerial surveys over the Atlantic Ocean Outer Continental Shelf, which includes data from migratory, summer, and winter seasons.

The Beaver Creek Petroglyph Site (48BH4293) is an undocumented rock art site containing some 26 panels of pictographs and petroglyphs that span from Early Hunting to En-Toto Pecked to Mountain Foothill Traditions. 

Using close-range photography to create finely detailed 3D models of culturally significant archeological sites facilitates both documentation and research. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Buffalo Field Office hosted its 14th Volunteer Archeology Project the week of June 26, 2022, utilizing the Passport in Time (PIT) program.

The FWS is using airborne remote sensing technologies to enhance migratory bird surveys to 1) enhance safety of aircrews conducting surveys by allowing flight at higher altitudes, 2) improve the quality of population and habitat data collected by minimizing and quantifying error rates, and 3) increase bird survey efficiency and utility by creating consistent automated processes. The FWS is partnering with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), U.S.