Satellite Imagery Leaves Questions About Forage for Wildlife

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120920135224.htm

ScienceDaily (Sep. 20, 2012) — Satellite imagery helps researchers scan vast landscapes to learn about vegetation available to grazing mammals but the technology may not supply all the data necessary to determine if the animals have access to a healthy diet, according to a paper published this month in the Journal of Wildlife Management.

The paper, recently published by a research team including Dr. Sadie Ryan of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), is based on a two-year study of African buffalo in a South African savanna ecosystem.

"This is the first time this kind of study has been done in a tropical landscape," Ryan said.

She said the research tested the common assumption that reflected greenness, detected through remote sensing, indicates the quality of the forage.