Regional Ecological Resource Assessment of the Rio Grande Riparian Corridor: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding Anthropogenic Effects on Riparian Communities in Semi-arid Environments

Authors

Jay Raney
Amy Neuenschwander
Frank W. Judd, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Gene Paull, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Melba Crawford
Robert I. Lonard, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Tatiana Encheva
Thomas Tremblay
William White

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2004

Abstract

Riparian ecosystems of the Southwestern United States are among the most productive ecosystems of North America. The rapid decline of these ecosystems throughout the United States, including the Lower Rio Grande Valley, has made riparian conservation a focal issue. This was a multidisciplinary study of riparian communities along the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico. The objectives of this research project were to: (1) acquire and analyze high-resolution, remotely sensed data from multiple sensors; (2) integrate existing and new field data and remotely sensed data into a geographic information system (GIS); (3) ascertain whether the native vegetation communities are maintaining themselves and identify the topographic, edaphic, and other ecological factors that perpetuate these communities; (4) interprete spatial variations in riparian habitats, including comparisons of the north and south banks of the Rio Grande; (5) analyze temporal changes at specific locations; and (6) develop a foundation for future analysis of riparian floodplain communities by linking local and remotely sensed regional data using GIS.

Comments

EPA Grant Number: R827677

Institution: The University of Texas at Austin , The University of Texas at Brownsville , The University of Texas - Pan American

EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: September 1, 1999 through August 31, 2002 (Extended to December 31, 2003)
Project Amount: $642,496
RFA: Regional Scale Analysis and Assessment (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Aquatic Ecosystems , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration

Supplemental files can be found here.

Recommended Citation

Raney, Jay; Neuenschwander, Amy; Judd, Frank W.; Paull, Gene; Crawford, Melba; Lonard, Robert I.; Encheva, Tatiana; Tremblay, Thomas; and White, William, "Regional Ecological Resource Assessment of the Rio Grande Riparian Corridor: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding Anthropogenic Effects on Riparian Communities in Semi-arid Environments" (2004). Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations. 255.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/bio_fac/255