A knowledge-based approach to the assessment of watershed condition

The Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system is an application framework for knowledge-based decision support of ecological assessments. EMDS integrates geographic information system and knowledge base system technologies to provide an analytical tool for environmental assessment and moni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental monitoring and assessment 2000-09, Vol.64 (1), p.271-283
Main Authors: JENSEN, M. E, REYNOLDS, K, ANDREASEN, J, GOODMAN, I. A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Ecosystem management
Environmental assessment
Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration
Environmental monitoring
Environmental protection
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Geographic information systems
Knowledge
Remote sensing
Studies
USA, Idaho
USA, Montana
Watershed management
Watersheds
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Summary:The Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system is an application framework for knowledge-based decision support of ecological assessments. EMDS integrates geographic information system and knowledge base system technologies to provide an analytical tool for environmental assessment and monitoring. The basic objective of EMDS is to improve the quality and completeness of environmental assessments and the efficiency with which they are performed. The USDA Forest Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have cooperatively developed an EMDS knowledge base for watershed condition assessment. Specifically, this knowledge base evaluates watershed processes, patterns, general effects of human activity, and fisheries habitat suitability. Such assessments are based on spatially explicit input data concerning current conditions and reference conditions which are subsequently interpreted by user-defined "fuzzy" membership functions. In this paper we describe basic components of our knowledge base for assessing watershed condition and illustrate its application within northern Idaho and northwestern Montana.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0167-6369
1573-2959
DOI:10.1023/A:1006489624154