Lidar, EM, and Vegetation Surveys

We combined elevation information derived from a 2003 airborne lidar survey of parts of Mustang Island with ground conductivity measurements and a vegetation survey acquired along the Mustang Island State Park and Port Aransas transects across the island. We are comparing elevation and ground conductivity data with vegetation assemblages and coastal barrier environments as determined from the vegetation survey and as depicted on standard wetlands maps published as part of the National Wetlands Inventory to determine whether remote methods such as lidar and ground-based or airborne EM can help improve the detail, accuracy, and timeliness of wetlands inventories.