Publication Date
1989
Description
The grazing and hay lands of Saskatchewan, a Province in western Canada, extend from the wide open short grass prairie of the south to the northern roughland bush pastures of the Aspen Parkland (Populus tremuloides). These areas total 7,853,000 ha. This study is part of a continuing effort directed towards the development of operational remote sensing analysis techniques for the estimation of grazing conditions in both native and seeded pastures in Saskatchewan. Multi-spectral remotely sensed data from satellites has proven useful in assessing crop vigour. In most cases, where drought assessment or monitoring was required, large land areas were involved and high temporal resolution was preferred. A VHRR data from the NOAA series of satellites, with two passes per day over the critical areas, low spatial resolution at 1 km/pixel for large area coverage and two channels appropriate for vegetation analysis was found to meet these needs. Major species within the northern areas are bromegrass (Bromus inermis), intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium), creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and young aspen and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera). Native vegetation on Mixed Prairie zone is composed of mixtures of western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii), northern wheatgrass (A. dasystachyum), blue grass (Bouteloua gracilis), and sagebrush (Artemisia cana). Range improvement has included breaking and reseeding to wheatgrass, Russian wildrye (Elymus junceus), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa).
Citation
McCartney, H; Whiting, J; and Polson, J, "Special Enhancements Using NOAA Satellite Data to Evaluate Grasslands of Western Canada" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 9.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session12/9
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Special Enhancements Using NOAA Satellite Data to Evaluate Grasslands of Western Canada
The grazing and hay lands of Saskatchewan, a Province in western Canada, extend from the wide open short grass prairie of the south to the northern roughland bush pastures of the Aspen Parkland (Populus tremuloides). These areas total 7,853,000 ha. This study is part of a continuing effort directed towards the development of operational remote sensing analysis techniques for the estimation of grazing conditions in both native and seeded pastures in Saskatchewan. Multi-spectral remotely sensed data from satellites has proven useful in assessing crop vigour. In most cases, where drought assessment or monitoring was required, large land areas were involved and high temporal resolution was preferred. A VHRR data from the NOAA series of satellites, with two passes per day over the critical areas, low spatial resolution at 1 km/pixel for large area coverage and two channels appropriate for vegetation analysis was found to meet these needs. Major species within the northern areas are bromegrass (Bromus inermis), intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium), creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and young aspen and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera). Native vegetation on Mixed Prairie zone is composed of mixtures of western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii), northern wheatgrass (A. dasystachyum), blue grass (Bouteloua gracilis), and sagebrush (Artemisia cana). Range improvement has included breaking and reseeding to wheatgrass, Russian wildrye (Elymus junceus), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa).
