Sovremennye problemy distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli iz kosmosa, 2014, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 237-244
Nighttime lights as a quantitative indicator of anthropogenic load on ecosystems
A.A. Tronin
1 , V.I. Gornyy
1 , S.G. Kritsuk
1 , I.Sh. Latypov
1 1 Saint-Petersburg Scientific-Research Centre for Ecological Safety RAS, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Nighttime lights of the Earth’s surface are considered as integral and quantitative indicator of anthropogenic load on ecosystems in the framework of energetic approach for ecological safety level rating. Nighttime lights have high correlation with primary energy consumption at the regional level. Nighttime radiation recorded on satellite Suomi NPP (radiometer VIIRS) was recalculated to primary energy consumption. Photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by plants is determined from ecosystem primary production. EOS satellite system product MOD17 supplies global primary production information. Energetic approach is based on comparison of photosynthetically active radiation, absorbed by plants and anthropogenic energy load on ecosystems. Ecological safety level was calculated as the relation of photosynthetically active radiation to anthropogenic load on ecosystems. Ecological safety map for northwest part of European Russia was compiled with high spatial resolution on the basis of nighttime lights and ecosystem primary production satellite data. The highest level of ecological safety was defined for Karelia and Arkhangelsk region where anthropogenic load on ecosystems is relatively moderate and plants receive enough solar radiation to parry threats to ecosystem service. The very low ecological safety level was observed in St-Petersburg that is explained by high energy load and small area of urban agglomeration.
Keywords: nighttime lights, ecosystem primary production, anthropogenic load, ecological safety
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