1. Biodiversity sampling
Sites within the study area were selected based on a conceptual sampling
design intended to explore the relative effects of land cover composition and the spatial configuration of cropped fields on biodiversity. The goal of this conceptual sample design was to improve inferences made at the landscape scale by minimizing or eliminating several common statistical pitfalls, such as overlapping sample sites and failing to account for correlations among landscape-based predictor variables.
2. Image acquisition and processing
The imagery obtained from the USGS LP DAAC has been subjected to considerable quality control, additional image processing was required and is outlined in the following sections.