Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011
In this U.S. Geological Survey study of forest land cover across the conterminous U.S. (CONUS), specific proportions and rates of forest conversion to developed (urban) land were assessed on an ecoregional basis. The study period was divided into six time intervals between 1973 and 2011. Forest land...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2016-06-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/7/132 |
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| author | Roger F. Auch Mark A. Drummond George Xian Kristi L. Sayler William Acevedo Janis L. Taylor |
| author_facet | Roger F. Auch Mark A. Drummond George Xian Kristi L. Sayler William Acevedo Janis L. Taylor |
| author_sort | Roger F. Auch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this U.S. Geological Survey study of forest land cover across the conterminous U.S. (CONUS), specific proportions and rates of forest conversion to developed (urban) land were assessed on an ecoregional basis. The study period was divided into six time intervals between 1973 and 2011. Forest land cover was the source of 40% or more of the new urban land in 35 of the 84 ecoregions located within the CONUS. In 11 of these ecoregions this threshold exceeded in every time interval. When the percent of change, forest to urban, was compared to the percent of forest in each ecoregion, 58 ecoregions had a greater percent of change and, in six of those, change occurred in every time interval. Annual rates of forest to urban land cover change of 0.2% or higher occurred in 12 ecoregions at least once and in one ecoregion in all intervals. There were three ecoregions where the above conditions were met for nearly every time interval. Even though only a small number of the ecoregions were heavily impacted by forest loss to urban development within the CONUS, the ecosystem services provided by undeveloped forest land cover need to be quantified more completely to better inform future regional land management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:59:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-982d9ff0095c41bdb84c520cdf9e0bf7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:59:15Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-982d9ff0095c41bdb84c520cdf9e0bf72022-12-22T03:54:32ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072016-06-017713210.3390/f7070132f7070132Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011Roger F. Auch0Mark A. Drummond1George Xian2Kristi L. Sayler3William Acevedo4Janis L. Taylor5U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observations and Science (EROS) Center, 47914 252nd St., Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, 2150 C Centre Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80526, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observations and Science (EROS) Center, 47914 252nd St., Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observations and Science (EROS) Center, 47914 252nd St., Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observations and Science (EROS) Center, 47914 252nd St., Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USAStinger Ghaffarian Technologies (SGT), contracter to the U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observations and Science (EROS) Center, 222 Big Ravine Drive, Whitefish, MT 48169, USAIn this U.S. Geological Survey study of forest land cover across the conterminous U.S. (CONUS), specific proportions and rates of forest conversion to developed (urban) land were assessed on an ecoregional basis. The study period was divided into six time intervals between 1973 and 2011. Forest land cover was the source of 40% or more of the new urban land in 35 of the 84 ecoregions located within the CONUS. In 11 of these ecoregions this threshold exceeded in every time interval. When the percent of change, forest to urban, was compared to the percent of forest in each ecoregion, 58 ecoregions had a greater percent of change and, in six of those, change occurred in every time interval. Annual rates of forest to urban land cover change of 0.2% or higher occurred in 12 ecoregions at least once and in one ecoregion in all intervals. There were three ecoregions where the above conditions were met for nearly every time interval. Even though only a small number of the ecoregions were heavily impacted by forest loss to urban development within the CONUS, the ecosystem services provided by undeveloped forest land cover need to be quantified more completely to better inform future regional land management.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/7/132Forest to urban developed land cover changeurbanizationconterminous U.S.ecoregionsremote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Roger F. Auch Mark A. Drummond George Xian Kristi L. Sayler William Acevedo Janis L. Taylor Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011 Forests Forest to urban developed land cover change urbanization conterminous U.S. ecoregions remote sensing |
| title | Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011 |
| title_full | Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011 |
| title_fullStr | Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011 |
| title_short | Regional Differences in Upland Forest to Developed (Urban) Land Cover Conversions in the Conterminous U.S., 1973–2011 |
| title_sort | regional differences in upland forest to developed urban land cover conversions in the conterminous u s 1973 2011 |
| topic | Forest to urban developed land cover change urbanization conterminous U.S. ecoregions remote sensing |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/7/132 |
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