**[NASA Earth Science Enterprise]{.smallcaps}**

**[Earth Science Applications Program]{.smallcaps}**

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

*Earth Science for Invasive Species*

***Invasive Species Program Element Plan: 2004-2008***

*February 11, 2004 (v2.4)*

![](media/image3.png){width="1.3680555555555556in"
height="1.1805555555555556in"}

*Earth Science Exploration Serving Society*

> *Accelerating the realization of economic*
>
> *and societal benefits from Earth science,*
>
> *information, and technology ...*

**NASA Earth Science Enterprise - Earth Science Applications Program**

Earth Science for Invasive Species

*Invasive Species Program Element Plan: 2004-2008*

Contents:

### Purpose and Scope

I.  Goals and Objectives

> A. Objectives: FY04

B.  Objectives: FY05-08

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
II. Leadership Network and Decision Support Systems

> A. Management assignments

B.  Government agencies and programs

C.  NASA centers

D.  Universities

E.  Other organizations

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
III. Projects

     A.  Legacy projects completed in FY04

     B.  New project starts in FY04

> C. Requested activities from Crosscutting Solutions

IV. Solicitations

V.  Supporting Efforts

VI. Budget Table

VII. Schedule and Milestones

VIII. Program Management and Performance Measures

IX. Roadmap

*Note: This plan is based on the President's proposed FY2004 budget.*

# Earth Science Enterprise -- Earth Science Applications Program

Earth Science for Invasive Species

## Invasive Species Element Plan: 2004-2008

**I. Purpose and Scope**

Management and control of invasive species[^1] is a major national
concern. Estimates on the annual cost to management agencies in the
United States, at all levels of government, to control invasive species
are as much as \$100 billion per year, and likely to grow[^2].
Eradication is no longer a viable response for species that have become
endemic in certain areas. The current focus is on predicting sites where
invasive species are likely to venture and directing control efforts at
eradication of emergent, small stands of invasives while the cost of
eradication remains reasonable.

The purpose of the invasive species management element is to assist
operational agencies meet their mandates to manage invasive species. The
purpose will be met through partnerships between NASA and the
operational agencies. These partnerships will take advantage of NASA's
Earth observations, modeling and computational capabilities to develop
tools that predict the spread of invasive species and help the
operational agencies maximize the use of available resources for
response to the invasive species threat. The collaboration among NASA,
the Department of the Interior (DOI -- especially USGS), the US
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) on invasive species is illustrative of the
integrated systems solutions that the Earth Science Applications Program
seeks with its partners (see Figure 1).

The spread of invasive species is increasing as global travel and
shipping expands the opportunity for movement of undesirable organisms.
The issue has developed diverse stakeholder support, ranging from state
and federal land management agencies, the agricultural and recreational
industries, conservation organizations, and private landowner groups.
The National Research Council's Committee on Grand Challenges in
Environmental Sciences has identified increased understanding of
biodiversity and ecosystem functioning as one of eight "Grand Challenges
in Environmental Science" facing our nation and the world today. The
committee emphasized the need for developing an ecological forecasting
capability and improved management techniques for non-indigenous
species. As such, the invasive species program element is closely
related to the ecological forecasting program element.

### II. Goals and Objectives

Projects sponsored by the Earth Science Applications Program invasive
species element in FY04 address objectives 1.1, 1.2 and 3.1 of the NASA
[2003 Strategic Plan,]{.underline} and the NASA Integrated Budget and
Performance Document (IBPD) performance measures 4ESA1, 4ESA5, and 5ESA9
(see Table 1).

The long term goal of the invasive species application element is to
benchmark the integration of NASA Earth science data, modeling and
systems engineering capabilities into the operational procedures of
federal agencies and other organizations with mandates to respond to the
incursion and spread of invasive species in terrestrial and aquatic
habitats. This goal is manifest in the integration of NASA/ESE
observations, modeling and systems engineering in the National Invasive
Species Forecasting System (NISFS). The USGS is the lead agency
developing the NISFS on behalf of the National Invasive Species Council
(NISC).

The NISFS needs information derived from current and planned NASA/ESE
research programs, including climate change, temporal and spatial ocean
and land cover change, vegetation characterization, precipitation, soil
moisture, topography, hydrologic cycles, and national and global carbon
relationships. The NISFS uses data from the Terra, Aqua, Landsat 7 and
SRTM missions. Data from these missions and model output derived from
the data improve capabilities to track, assess, and predict probable
invasive species introduction points, disease outbreaks, potential rate
of organism spread, potential success in alternative management
activities, and impacts of mitigation efforts.

Table 1:

Linkage among the objectives from the NASS 2003 Strategic Plan,

the IBPD, and the Invasive Species Element Plan

  ------------- ---------------------------------- ------------ --------------
  NASA          [Objective]{.underline}            FY04         FY05Invasive
  Strategic                                        Invasive     Species
  Plan 2003                                        Species      Objective
                                                   Objective    

  1.1           Understand how the Earth is        1,4          1,2
                changing, better predict change,                
                and understand the consequences                 
                for life on earth.                              

  1.2           Expand and accelerate the          1,2,3        1,2
                realization of economic and                     
                societal benefits from Earth                    
                science, information and                        
                technology                                      

  3.3           Improve the Nation\'s economic     1,2,3,4      1,2
                strength and quality of life by                 
                facilitating the innovative use of              
                NASA technology                                 

  IBPD FY04-05                                                  

  4ESA1, 4ESA5  Benchmark the process of           3            
                assimilating observations from                  
                missions and predictions from                   
                models into decision support                    
                systems for carbon management                   

  5ESA9         Benchmark the use of predictions                1
                from 2 NASA Earth system science                
                models for use in national                      
                priorities such as support for the              
                CCSP and CCTP.                                  
  ------------- ---------------------------------- ------------ --------------

The invasive species program element includes actions designed to
improve the accuracy and timeliness of predictive models and the
integration of such predictions in the operations of federal, state,
local and tribal organizations responsible for invasive species
management. Projects funded by NASA/ESE that address elements of
invasive species management are coordinated through the program so that
model development, testing, and application are accomplished through an
integrated approach.

The primary outcome of this effort is a dynamic, flexible NISFS that
allows scientists and resource managers to integrate climate, weather,
hazard and land cover parameters to model and analyze regional-scale
biological resources. The information products produced by the system
are electronic and printed maps of potential "hot spots" of native plant
diversity, including: (1) probable locations of rare habitats; (2)
probable locations of relict/unique species assemblages; (3) potential
areas of future invasion; (4) spatial auto-correlations with
cross-correlation statistics for single exotic species; (5) accuracy
assessments of native and exotic plant diversity; (6) evaluation levels
of uncertainty in maps of natural resources; and, (7) classification and
regression trees for map accuracy. These products are critical elements
of an invasive species DSS.

The invasive species program element overlaps with research and
technology activities in ESE. Research tasks in land cover/land use
change, carbon cycle science and ecological forecasting, and technology
tasks in advanced computation contribute to the development of
capabilities that are implemented through the invasive species program
element. For example, the Earth Science Technology Office, through a
competitive solicitation, sponsors development of new parallel
processing techniques suitable for the computational requirements of the
NISFS.

> A. Objectives: FY04:

1)  Prototype NASA ESE component capabilities for the NISFS on-line.
    (\$627K)

2)  Integration of NASA MODIS data products into the NISFS. (\$581K)\*

3)  Benchmark Earth science inputs to the NISFS. (\$350K)\*\*

4)  Initiation of at least one new, invasive species specific project
    (e.g., tamarisk, yellow starthistle) with the USDA and DOI. (\$120K)

5)  Documentation of invasive species program element in appropriate
    journal and participation in at least one national /international
    conference, e.g., Ecological Society of America (8/04);
    International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (9/04).
    (\$18K)

6)  Completion of Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of the
    Interior on collaborative projects including invasive species.

7)  NASA participation on the National Invasive Species Council.

> \*Fuded by Code YS through NRA --00-OES-08
>
> \*\* Request from Crosscutting Solutions
>
> B. Objectives: FY05-08
>
> 1\) Examine the impact of observations from new NASA systems (e.g.,
> OCO, HYDROS and Aquarius) on climate and weather predictions and the
> impact of those predictions on invasive species decision support
> systems and tools.

2.  Benchmark performance of Earth science inputs in at least two
    additional decision support tools or systems for invasive species
    including at least one for aquatics invasives, and one for invasive
    animal species.

3.  Develop collaborative project(s) with USDA (and DOI) on invasive
    species DSTs and DSSs under the terms of the MOU signed between NASA
    and USDA in May, 2003 for collaboration on Earth science
    applications.

**III. Leadership, Network and Decision Support Systems**

> A. Management assignments
>
> 1\) Program Manager Invasive Species Element
>
> Mr. Ed Sheffner
>
> Earth Science Applications Division (Code YO)
>
> Office of Earth Science
>
> NASA Headquarters
>
> Washington DC
>
> Responsibilities:
>
> • Development of and implementation of interagency agreements and
> partnerships with other organizations
>
> • Program development including program plans and budgets
>
> • Development and implementation of solicitations for invasive species
> tasks
>
> • Primary responsibility for metrics, performance goals and other
> performance evaluation criteria
>
> 2\) Deputy Program Manager for Invasive Species Element
>
> Mr. Rodney McKellip
>
> Project Research Scientist
>
> Earth Science Applications Directorate
>
> Stennis Space Center, MS (SSC)
>
> Responsibilities:
>
> • Management of invasive species tasks at Stennis Space Center
>
> • COTR or studies manager (as appropriate) for grants and cooperative
> agreements that address invasive species management and are funded
> through procurement at Stennis Space Center.
>
> • Coordination of activities among the program element team members
> including the NASA centers.

The invasive species management program addresses geospatial information
needs and predictive capabilities of operational agencies and other
organizations that make policy and management decisions related to
invasive species management. NASA/ESE is pursuing partnerships with
federal agencies that oversee land management policies. Invasive species
was one of five topic areas cited in the NASA/USDA MOU signed in May,
2003. NASA/ESE is pursuing similar agreements with other departments and
agencies such as the Department of the Interior. The program also
includes NASA field centers, universities and state/local/tribal
non-government organizations that implement invasive species management
policies that require decision support.

> ![](media/image4.png){width="7.825in" height="5.613194444444445in"}
>
> Figure 1: Invasive Species Integrated Systems Solution

NASA/ESE is a node in a network involved in invasive species response.
This network is improving knowledge of invasive species in new
environments and is developing and implementing information sources that
provide managers and policy makers with the knowledge they need to
allocate resources. Key nodes in the network (currently involved with
the program element) include:

B\) Government agencies and programs:

1)  Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service,
    Cooperative State Research Education and Economics Service, Natural
    Resources Conservation Service, Farm Services Agency (Dr. Ernest
    Delfosse)

2)  Department of the Interior: Memorandum of Understanding with NASA
    (Mr. Gordon Brown)

3)  Department of the Interior: US Geological Survey (especially the
    National Institute for Invasive Species Science); National Park
    Service (Dr. Tom Stohlgren)

4)  Department of the Interior: National Park Service (Ms. Leslie
    Armstrong)

C\) NASA centers:

1)  Ames Research Center: Decision support tools for tamarisk and other
    invasive plants (Dr. David Bubenheim )

2)  Goddard Space Flight Center: Program element scientist,
    computational research for NISFS (Dr. John Schnase)

3)  Stennis Space Center: Program element management (Mr. Rodney
    McKellip)

> D\) Universities (current active contacts):
>
> 1\) Mississippi State University: DSS for aquatic invasive plants (Dr.
> Lori Bruce)
>
> 2\) University of Arizona: Tamarisk decision support tools (Dr. Edward
> Glenn)
>
> 3\) California State University Monterey Bay: Decision support tools
> for National Park Service (Dr. Fred Watson)

E\) Other organizations:

1)  Bonneville County, ID: Implementation of decision support tools at
    the local level (Mr. Jeff Pettingill)

**IV. Application Activities: Projects**

> Projects sponsored by the Earth Science Applications Program invasive
> species element in FY04:
>
> A. Legacy projects completed in FY04:
>
> • Development and implementation of remote sensing techniques to
> monitor invasive plant species in the State of Idaho -- Jeffrey
> Pettingill, Bonneville County^a^. (\$145K)
>
> • Developing a biospheric nowcast and forecast capability for the
> conterminous US -- Ramakrishna Nemani, University of Montana^2^. (\$0)
>
> • Predicting regional-scale exotic plant invasions in grand
> Staircase-Escalante National Monument -- John Schnase, Goddard Space
> Flight Center^b^. (\$0)

-   Biotic Prediction: Building the Computational Technology
    Infrastructure for Public Health and Environmental Forecasting --
    John Schnase, Goddard Space Flight Center^c^. (Funded by the Earth
    Science Technology Office)

-   Remote sensing tools for monitoring and managing a sensitive, arid
    zone riparian corridor -- Edward P. Glenn, University of Arizona^2^.
    (0)

-   Remote Surveying of Federal Noxious Weeds for Management Strategy
    Development -- John Byrd, Andrew Ezell, and Charles Bryson,
    Mississippi State University^d^. (0)

> ^a^Selected through competitive solicitation: BAA-01-OES-01, awarded
> September 2001.
>
> ^b^Selected through competitive solicitation: NRA-00-OES-08, awarded
> June 2001.
>
> ^c^Selected through competitive solicitation: ESTO Computational
> Technology
>
> ^d^Projects funded under Challenge Grant to Mississippi State
> University. Activities continue in FY04 with no cost.
>
> B. Project starts in FY04 (First year funding from FY03):
>
> • The Invasive Species Data Service: Towards Operational Use of ESE
> Data in the USGS Invasive Species Decision Support System -- John
> Schnase, Goddard Space Flight Center.\* FY04 budget: \$627K
>
> • Systems Integration and Visualization of Yellowstone: an Earth
> Systems Research, Application, and Education Solution -- Fred Watson,
> California State University Monterey Bay.\* FY04 budget: \$300K
>
> • Support for interagency activities including participation on NISC:
> \$30K
>
> \*Selected through competitive solicitation: REASoN (CAN-03-OES-01).

C. Requested activities from Crosscutting Solutions for new starts in
FY04

> • Benchmark invasive species DSS (NISFS.) \$350K (FY04 objective A.3)
>
> • Extend NISFS technology to aquatic environments. Develop new DSS
> tools with USDA. \$361K

**V. Application Activities: Solicitations**

Approximately 89% of the funding allocated in FY03 to projects related
to the invasive species application element was awarded through
competitive solicitations. It is anticipated that invasive species will
be part of a solicitation in the Earth Science Applications Division in
FY04. New projects are expected to have a duration of three years,
address decision support in terrestrial and aquatic invasive species,
and total no more than \$1M per year. The invasive species program
element also monitors proposals funded through two NASA/ESE
solicitations announced in FY04: NRA-03-OES-02: "Earth System Science
Research using Data and Products from Terra, Aqua and ACRIM Satellites,"
and NRA-03-OES-03: "Interdisciplinary Science in the NASA Earth Science
Enterprise" and relevant to invasive species (see Table 2).

Two projects for invasive species were funded under the REASoN
cooperative agreement notice -- J. Schnase: "The Invasive Species Data
Service: Towards Operational Use of ESE Data in the USGS Invasive
Species Decision Support System"; and F. Watson: "Systems Integration
and Visualization of Yellowstone: an Earth Systems Research,
Application, and Education Solution." The former extends work underway
with USGS/NIISS on the NISFS by improving access to NASA data and data
products (SeaWIFS, Landsat, Terra, Aqua, QuickSCAT, Jason) and data from
commercial systems (Ikonos, Quickbird) for users to generate invasive
species forecasting maps through the NISFS. The latter project extends
the scope of NASA collaboration through the use of the "Tarsier"
modeling framework (ASTER, MODIS, SRTM Landsat and AVHRR data)

for decisions on mitigation of invasive species.

Table 2:

Projects with Potential Relevance to Invasive Species and Awarded

in FY04 Under NASA/ESE Solicitation NRA-03-OES-02 and NRA-02-OES-03

[Name Title]{.underline} Institution

  --------------- -------------------------------- -----------------------
  Bras, Rafael    Dynamic Hydrology and Ecosystem  Massachusetts Institute
                  Modeling in Semi-Arid Complex    of Technology
                  Terrain Using NASA EOS           
                  Observations from TERRA and AQUA 

  Friedl, Mark    Global Land Cover and Land Cover Boston University
                  Dynamics from MODIS: Algorithm   
                  Refinement in Support of Global  
                  Change Research                  

  Gumley, Liam    Near Real Time Products for      University of Wisconsin
                  North America From EOS Direct    Madison
                  Broadcast                        

  Hall, Forrest   Physically-Based Continuous      Goddard Space Flight
                  Fields and Land Cover Mapping    Center
                  Algorithm Using Modis and        
                  Multi-Source Data                

  Justice,        Refinement and Maintenance of    University of Maryland
  Christopher     the MODIS Fire Product Suite and College Park
                  MODIS Land Discipline Leader     

  Morisette, Jeff Maintaining and Refining NASA's  Goddard Space Flight
                  Land Product Validation          Center
                  Infrastructure                   

  Morisette, Jeff Value Added Products from        Goddard Space Flight
                  Vegetation and Precipitation     Center
                  Time-Series Data Sets in Support 
                  of Invasive Species Prediction   

  Ranson, Ken     Boreal Zone Forest Type and      Goddard Space Flight
                  Structure from EOS Data Sets     Center

  Stohlgren Tom   Fingerprinting Native and        Colorado State
                  Non-Native Biodiversity in the   University and U.S.
                  United States, Phase 1: The      Geological Survey
                  Western U.S.                     

  Reichle, Rolf   Assimilation of AMSR-E Data and  University of Maryland
                  Application to the               Baltimore County
                  Initialization of Soil Moisture  
                  Reservoirs in a Seasonal         
                  Forecasting System               

  Townshend, John Enhanced Land Cover and Land     University of Maryland
                  Cover Change Products from       College Park
                  MODIS; An EOS Algorithm          
                  Refinement Proposal              

  Waring, Richard Predicting Tree Species          Oregon State University
                  Diversity Across the Contiguous  
                  U.S.A. from Seasonal Patterns in 
                  Photosynthesis Derived with      
                  Satellite-Driven Models          
  --------------- -------------------------------- -----------------------

**VI. Application Activities: Supporting Efforts**

> Fellowships: NASA fellowships for the period 2002 through 2006 with
> potential impact on the invasive species program element:

  -------------------- --------------------------- ------------------------------------
  [Name]{.underline}   [Institution]{.underline}   [Title]{.underline}

  Isabel Ashton        Stony Brook University      Biological invasions and alterations
                                                   of the global carbon balance.

  Laura Koteen         University of California,   A Comparison of Carbon Cycling and
                       Berkeley                    Material Exchange in Landscapes
                                                   Dominated by Native and Exotic
                                                   Grasses in Northern Coastal
                                                   California
  -------------------- --------------------------- ------------------------------------

**VII. Budget Table (all costs in \$K)**

  --------------------- -------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
                        [Invasive Species - Direct                                                           
                        Costs]{.underline}                                                                   

                                                         FY04         FY05         FY06         FY07         FY08

  ***Solicitations***                                                                                        

                        FY05 CAN/NRA                                  1000         1000         1000         

                        FY07 CAN/NRA                                                            1000         1000

                        Subtotal                         0            1000         1000         2000         1000

  ***Interagency                                                                                             
  Activities***                                                                                              

                        Initiate new project with        120          300          300          200          100
                        USDA/DOI                                                                             

                        NISC and committee participation 30           30           30           30           30

                        Subtotal                         150          330          330          230          130

                        ***Total (Program Element Direct ***150***    ***1330***   ***1330***   ***2230***   ***1130***
                        Costs)***                                                                            

                                                                                                              

                        [Non Direct Costs]{.underline}                                                       

                        *Requests from Crosscutting*                                                         

  ***IBS/SysE***                                                                                             

                        Benchmark Invasive Species DSS   350          300          250          250          250

  ***MSU***                                                                                                  

                        Aquatic Invasive Species DST     361          342          351          0            0

                        Subtotal                         711          642          601          250          250

                        *Requests from Outreach*                                                             

                        Conferences                      10           15           20           20           20

                        Materials                        8            10           12           12           12

                        Subtotal                         18           25           32           32           32

                        *Other*                                                                              

  ***Solicitations***                                                                                        

                        Invasive Species DST Idaho       145          0            0            0            0
                        (SLT-BAA)                                                                            

                        NPS Yellowstone DST (REASoN CAN) 300          300          300          100          0

                        ISFS - ISDS (REASoN CAN)         627          642          656          670          0

                        Subtotal                         1072         942          956          770          0

                        ***Total (Non Direct Costs)***   1801         1609         1589         1052         282

                                                                                                             

                        **TOTAL COSTS: Direct and Non    ***1951***   ***2939***   ***2919***   ***3282***   ***1412***
                        Direct**                                                                             
  --------------------- -------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------

**VIII. Schedule and Milestones**

FY04:

October 2003

-   Complete NASA/DOI MOU.

-   Convene USDA invasive species focus area meeting.

-   Complete initial NISFS parallel algorithm/modeling subsystem
    development.

November

-   Convene invasive species science team meeting (NISSC) Ft. Collins,
    CO.

-   Complete white paper describing invasive species program element.

-   Begin feature specification, community review, and requirements
    development for NISFS data ingest subsystem.

December

-   Release of NISFS V1.0 on-line at NIISS in cooperation with USGS
    (work funded by Earth Science Technology Office)

January 2004

-   Solicit community feed back on NISFS V1.0. Refine specifications as
    needed.

-   Begin second phase of parallel model code development.

February

-   Publish journal special issue describing the NISFS and agency
    partnerships.

-   Hold local workshops on geostatistical modeling applications for
    invasive species.

March

-   Convene comprehensive NISFS User Community Workshop in Fort Collins,
    CO.

-   Conduct NISFS data subsystem requirements and design review.

-   Identify an aquatics invasive test case for integration into the
    NISFS.

June

-   Begin large-scale integration of MODIS time series data into
    processing stream.

-   Begin joint USGS/NASA summer student training program in invasive
    species predictive modeling.

July

-   Conduct second field campaign to validate NISFS V2.0 modeling
    algorithms.

-   Perform comprehensive assessment of MODIS time series data and NISFS
    V2.0 parallel modeling algorithms.

August

-   Convene special session on invasive species at the Ecological
    Society of America annual conference.

-   Complete initial prototype of the NISFS data ingest subsystem.

September

-   Plan / Procedures Document and User's Guide for the modeling
    subsystem. Complete second phase of parallel model code development.

-   Release NISFS V2.0 at NIISS and online.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Deliver updated "Requirements and Design Documents." Deliver
    "Maintenance Manual" for as-built system. Documented source code
    made publicly available via the Web.

FY05-08:

> • Baseline decision support systems and tools used by NASA partners in
> invasive species including USGS and the National Park Service for
> potential Earth science inputs.
>
> • Benchmark the improvement in predictive capability in the National
> Invasive Species Forecasting System from the integration of NASA
> observations, measurements and systems engineering.

**IX. Program Management and Performance Measures**

The invasive species management team uses performance measures to track
progress, identify issues, evaluate projects, make adjustments, and
establish results of the program element. The program's Goals and
Objectives (Section II) state what the program intends to achieve. These
measures help monitor progress within and across specific activities to
ensure the program meets its goals and objectives. The management team
analyzes these measures retrospectively in order to made adjustments
proscriptively to the program approach and objectives.

The measures are in two categories. Program management measures are
internally focused to assess the activities within the program.
Performance measures are externally focused to assess if the program
activities are serving their intended purpose. In general, the program
manager uses these measures to evaluate the performance of activities
conducted and sponsored by the program, especially the projects. In
addition, the Earth Science Applications Division uses this information
in preparing IBPD directions and PART responses.

Program Management Measures (Internally-focused):

+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Inputs  | Potential issues and DSTs identified for invasive species  |
|         | -- *number, type, range*                                   |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Eligible partners to collaborate with -- *number, type,    |
|         | range*                                                     |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Potential results/products identified to serve invasive    |
|         | species -- *number, type, range*                           |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Outputs | Assessments or evaluations of DSTs -- *number, range*      |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Assessments of Earth science results/products to serve     |
|         | DSTs -- *number, range*                                    |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Agreements with partners -- *presence*                     |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Reports (evaluation, validation, benchmark) -- *number,    |
|         | type*                                                      |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Quality | Earth science results/products -- *number used per DST,    |
| &       | ratio of utilized to potential*                            |
| Eff     |                                                            |
| iciency | Agreements -- *ratio of agreements to committed partners*  |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Reports -- *partner satisfaction, timeliness, time to      |
|         | develop*                                                   |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Reports -- *ratio of validations to potential products,    |
|         | ratio of benchmarks to validations*                        |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+

Performance & Results Measures (Externally-focused):

+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| O       | Earth science products adopted in DSTs -- *number, type,   |
| utcomes | range; use in DST over time*                               |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Earth science products in use -- *ratio of products used   |
|         | by partners to reports produced*                           |
|         |                                                            |
|         | Partner & DST performance -- *change in partner DST        |
|         | performance, number & type of*                             |
|         |                                                            |
|         | > *public recognition of use & value of Earth science data |
|         | > in DST*                                                  |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Impacts | Partner value -- *change in partner metrics (improvements  |
|         | in value of partner decisions)*                            |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+

In addition to the stated measures, the invasive species program manager
periodically requests an assessment of its plans, goals, priorities, and
activities through external review. The invasive species program element
team uses these measures along with comparisons to programmatic
benchmarks to support assessments of the Earth Science Applications
Program (e.g. internal NASA reviews and OMB PART).

### X. Roadmap

The Invasive Species Element roadmap (Figure 2) illustrates how NASA
capabilities in Earth observation, measurement, modeling and systems
engineering are exploited systematically to improve the decision support
systems and tools of USGS and other agencies and organizations making
policy and resource decisions for invasive species. The roadmap focuses
on NISFS, baselining current capabilities and benchmarking improvements
as such improvements are integrated into the NISFS.

The roadmap starts in FY04 with the integration and evaluation of MODIS
products and NASA systems engineering. Beginning in FY05 and continuing
in the out years, data from new systems will be evaluated, initially
through simulations, then through analysis of the data when available.

Several planned NASA Earth science missions have the potential to impact
USGS decision support tools and systems. These missions include OCO,
Aquarius and HYDROS. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) provides
space-based observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO~2~), the
principal anthropogenic driver of climate change. This mission uses
mature technologies to address NASA\'s highest priority carbon cycle
measurement requirement. OCO generates the knowledge needed to improve
projections of future atmospheric CO~2~. The mission is relevant to
invasive species because of the impact of climate change on invasive
species habitat. Invasive species may also have to be considered in
carbon management issues such as the sequestration of carbon in above
ground biomass. Aquarius is a focused satellite mission to measure
global sea surface salinity (SSS). Aquarius will resolve missing
physical processes that link the water cycle, the climate, and the
ocean. The Aquarius science goals are to observe and model the processes
that relate salinity variations to climatic changes in the global
cycling of water and to understand how these variations influence the
general ocean circulation. The Hydrosphere State Mission (HYDROS) will
provide the first global views of Earth\'s changing soil moisture and
land surface freeze/thaw conditions, leading to breakthroughs in weather
and climate prediction and in the understanding of processes linking
water, energy, and carbon cycles.

The Roadmap shows the major events in the chronology toward evaluation
of these sources of data and information and the progression of the data
toward improved decision support systems and tools over the next ten
years.

![](media/image5.png){width="5.9875in" height="4.486805555555556in"}

Figure 2: Invasive Species Element Roadmap

**NASA Earth Science Enterprise -- Earth Science Applications Program**

*Earth Science for Invasive Species*

This document contains the Invasive Species Element Plan for
FY2004-2008. This plan derives direction established in the NASA
Strategic Plan, ESE Strategy, Earth Science Applications Plan, Earth
Science Applications Program Plan, and OMB/OSTP guidance on research and
development. The plan aligns with and serves the commitments established
in the NASA Integrated Budget and Performance Document.

The Program Manager and the Earth Science Applications Program
Leadership have reviewed the plan and agree that the plan appropriately
reflects the goals, objectives, and activities for the Program Element
to serve the Earth Science Applications Program, ESE, NASA, the
Administration, and Society.

Ed Sheffner Date

Program Manager, Invasive Species

Earth Science Applications Program

NASA Earth Science Enterprise

Lawrence Friedl Date

Lead, Earth Science Applications

Earth Science Applications Program

NASA Earth Science Enterprise

Ron Birk Date

Director, Earth Science Applications Program

NASA Earth Science Enterprise

[^1]: For this program plan, "invasive species" are defined as
    non-native plants, animals, insects and other organisms that
    endanger the health of native species or have significant negative
    economic impact on society. The number of invasive species entering
    the US per year is estimated to be in the thousands.

[^2]: Pimentel, David, et al. "Environmental and Economic Costs
    Associated with Non-indigenous Species in the United States."
    Cornell University, 1999. Available on-line at:
    http://www.news.cornell.edu/Jan99/species_costs.html.