Diane M. Styers

Associate Professor Western Carolina University

  • Cullowhee NC

Diane Styers's current research focuses on analyzing ecosystem structure and function and examining changes over space and time.

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Biography

Diane is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resources at WCU. She uses remote sensing and geospatial approaches to analyze patterns of social and ecological processes that drive landscape changes affecting earth's resources. Her current research focuses on analyzing ecosystem structure and function and examining changes over space and time, particularly in response to natural and human disturbances. This information will help support her ultimate goal of mapping, quantifying, and valuing ecosystem services. Diane's areas of expertise include: LiDAR data analysis, object-based image analysis (OBIA), MODIS and Landsat phenology and other time series analysis, multi-sensor integration, forest ecology (structure and function), human ecology mapping, air pollution effects on forest ecosystems, and dendroecology.

Industry Expertise

Research
Education/Learning

Areas of Expertise

Human Ecology Mapping
Multi-Sensor Integration
LiDAR Data Analysis
Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA)
Forest Ecology

Accomplishments

Keynote Speaker Research Award

22nd Annual Undergraduate Exposition

Faculty Institute on Community Engagement Project Award

Western Carolina University

Community Engagement STAR Project Award

Western Carolina University

Education

Auburn University

Ph.D.

Forestry and Ecology

2008

Georgia State University

M.A.

Geography

2005

University of North Carolina, Greensboro

B.S.

Human Development & Family Studies

1997

Affiliations

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • Association of American Geographers
  • Ecological Research as Education Network

Languages

  • English

Event Appearances

Using National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) open-access nested-plot vegetation datasets to teach biological diversity and spatial scale concepts

Ecological Society of America 105th Annual Meeting  Salt Lake City, UT

2020-08-02

Macroscale Ecology in the Classroom: An EREN Partnership Using NEON Data

Northeast Natural History Conference  Springfield, MA

2019-04-12

Utilizing a remote sensing derived NDVI normal dataset and vegetation field data to assess post-fire effects and ecosystem recovery in the southern Appalachians

Association of Southeastern Biologists 80th Annual Meeting  Memphis, TN

2019-04-03

Research Grants

Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources Grant

Cherokee Preservation Foundation

Rivercane: New Geospatial Tools and Approaches

North Carolina Urban and Community Forestry Grant

Western Carolina University

WCU Campus Tree Inventory, Assessment, and Geodatabase Construction

Sustainable Energy Initiative Project Grant

Western Carolina University

WCU Campus Tree Inventory Expansion and Geodatabase Enhancement

Articles

Diel discharge variations in dormant and growing seasons in a headwater catchment suggest potential sources of an evapotranspiration signal

Hydrological Processes

2019

Diel fluctuations in discharge not associated with precipitation have been identified in streams around the world and attributed to evapotranspiration of both hillslope and near-stream vegetation. Several mechanisms have been hypothesized to explain the generation of these signals, but a consensus has not been reached.

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Is recreation a landscape value?: Exploring underlying values in landscape values mapping

Landscape and Urban Planning

2019

Landscape values mapping (LVM) is a participatory process used to gather public input for park and forest management. Respondents assign landscape values or ecosystem benefits to places on a map using a typology that usually includes the value “recreation.”

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A Macroscopic Charcoal and Multiproxy Record from Peat Recovered from Depression Marshes in Longleaf Pine Sandhills, Florida, USA

Quaternary

2018

Science-based information on historical fire frequency is lacking for longleaf pine sandhills. We undertook a high-resolution macroscopic charcoal and geochemical analysis of sediment cores recovered from three depression marshes located within a longleaf pine sandhill ecosystem in Florida, USA.

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