Venus Flytrap Habitat Suitability Modeling
Modeled current and future Venus flytrap habitat using remote sensing data to inform rare plant conservation in the Carolina Coastal Plain.
Overview
Collaborated with federal, academic, and non-profit agencies to model present and future habitat suitability of Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap) in the Carolina Coastal Plain. This work supported conservation, seed banking, and reintroduction efforts for this iconic endemic species.
Methods
- Processed and analyzed Landsat 8, PALSAR, Sentinel-2, and Terra MODIS satellite data
- Forecasted Venus flytrap habitat in 2050 using TerrSet’s Land Change Modeler
- Communicated research in ArcGIS maps, StoryMaps, oral presentations, and a technical paper
Publications & Reports
- Rock, M., Caruso, K. E., Lampley, J., Siddhi, A., and S. Zhu. (2021). Utilizing NASA Earth observations to map suitable Venus flytrap habitat. NASA Technical Reports Server.
- Presented at the Botanical Society of America Annual Meeting (2022) and American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting (2023)
Collaborators
University of Georgia Center for Geospatial Research · NASA DEVELOP · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service