Under the current rapidly changing environment, effective and efficient actions for biodiversity conservation rely on detailed knowledge on the spatiotemporal dynamics of species distribution and habitat. However, inadequate spatiotemporal information on species habitat has compromised conservation effectiveness, even for one of the most endangered species on Earth, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). To address this information gap, the objectives of this dissertation were to: (1) develop an approach for remotely detecting the distribution of understory bamboo, the panda's staple food, across large geographic regions; (2) develop a modeling approach for monitoring panda habitat changes across space and time; (3) evaluate the effects of current conservation efforts on short-term panda habitat changes; and (4) assess the potential impacts of climate change on long-term panda habitat dynamics.--From abstract.
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