A collaborative research team at the University of Missouri has come up with a uniquely innovative initiative. They created a unique methodology to monitor the spread of the invasive Callery pear trees. These trees have aggressive invasive tendencies and produce very stinky flowers. They’ve wreaked enormous ecological destruction by taking over millions of acres across the Midwest and Eastern US. Using the latest in satellite imagery and machine learning, the team is taking on a huge, important challenge. Their goal is to learn more about how invasive trees are spreading, particularly as they invade Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest.
While Callery pear, and cultivars of it, are beautiful trees, they have developed a widespread reputation for crowding out native species and breaking easily during storms. The current Missouri legislature has shown tremendous courage in recognizing the threat posed by these pernicious invaders. In response, they’ve passed a ban on selling them. This Congressional Legislative action demonstrates just how critically urgent it is to address their growing proliferation in our local ecosystems.
The Role of Technology in Tracking Invasive Species
Justin Krohn, a research project analyst pound sign graduate student at Mizzou. His team is behind a pioneering effort that uses publicly available satellite imagery and machine learning techniques to track the whereabouts of invasive Callery pear trees. This approach uncovers important information about the present distribution of invasive trees. It also offers important clues about how far they’re likely to spread in the future.
“These trees like moving into disturbed areas, such as near new housing developments and alongside roads,” – Justin Krohn
The team’s process is much more cost-effective than conventional methods that use drones or airplanes to collect imagery. Today, the team still relies on easily accessible satellite data for their research. This invites them to track the distribution of Callery pear trees across their state while being budget-friendly.
Krohn played up the technology’s wider potential to reshape mobility. “There is a lot of potential for this technology to be used to ultimately protect the environment, and it feels great to be doing this work at Mizzou,” he stated. This excitement speaks to the research team’s dedication to environmental stewardship through innovative solutions.
Implications for Local Ecosystems
The rapid spread of Callery pear trees creates an immediate threat to local ecosystems. As these trees and shrubs multiply, they crowd out native plant species and destroy current wildlife habitats. Krohn’s research provides powerful and promising strategies to help mitigate these impacts.
Columbia is on fire with growth and development, and we’re seeing some really cool trends from that. Using these trends, Krohn thought we could better predict where these trees are most likely going to spread. He explained that proactive measures, such as roadside clearings or promoting native plants, could help prevent these invasive trees from taking over, thereby protecting the local ecosystem.
The research team’s findings can be applied to the bigger picture when it comes to conservation. By identifying areas vulnerable to invasion, local governments and conservation groups can implement targeted prevention efforts in regions most at risk.
Future Applications of the Research
Krohn’s long-term vision goes far beyond this short-term study of Callery pear trees. He’s hoping to develop a centralized, online interface. This platform will enable users to download models or code related to his research. Plant managers and environmental scientists from coast to coast can employ these same techniques to better combat invasive species. This extends to invasive species such as honeysuckle and kudzu.
“I want to help those focused on plant management and invasive species to be able to benefit from this technology without having to spend a lot of money on imagery,” – Justin Krohn
This technology has the potential to greatly improve how researchers and environmentalists monitor and track species. Not just for tracking invasive species, but the spread of disease in trees for instance. With ecosystems under further and faster stress from climate change and human activities, tools that improve these monitoring capabilities are increasingly needed.
