My master’s research is taking place in southern Madagascar over the summer. This semester I put together a series of satellite images that I only really began to analyze for the final course project. I evaluated changes in NDVI and tasseled cap bands. I would like to continue to expand on this analysis. I would also like to ground truth the satellite imagery that I put together during this semester, and conduct further analysis when I return in the fall.
In Madagascar, I will be trying to understand the impact of human disturbance and variation in soil characteristics on the regeneration of protected seasonal dry tropical forest. I will also be collaborating with a Yale PhD student who is studying lemur behavior and health in the same region, and it will be beneficial for both of us to use remote sensing software to map and understand the extent of the forest habitat. This research will be used to improve the management and protection of threatened natural resources for local communities and habitat for wildlife in the region in southern Madagascar.