Kenneth Summy, Ph.D.
Kenneth Summy, Ph.D.
Professor
SCSI 2.308
Office: (956) 665-7927
Research Field
kenneth.summy@utrgv.edu
Office Hours
Courses
General Biology (BIOL1401, 1402)
Entomology (BIOL4315/5315)
Remote Sensing Technology
(BIOL4403/5403)
Seminar (BIOL 4101)
Biological Writing (BIOL3302)
Education
Ph.D. Entomology. Texas A&M University. 1983.
M.S. Entomology. Texas A&M University. 1978.
B.S. Biology. Stephen F. Austin State University. 1973
Areas of Interest
Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems, agricultural crop production, native plant communities, coastal erosion.
Research
This research program is currently focused on the use of remote sensing technology in agricultural crop production and the mapping and analysis of coastal landscapes. Although remote sensing technology has been used for at least five decades for monitoring conventional (outdoor) agricultural crops, it has been employed to only a limited extent in glasshouse horticulture. Therefore, one of our major efforts during the past several years has involved the use of color infrared (CIR) imagery for monitoring the condition of cucumbers, tomatoes and other commercial glasshouse crops. When acquired under suitable (natural or artificial) lighting sources, CIR imagery provides the potential to detect incipient (low-level) infestations of insects, mites and pathogens developing on glasshouse crops before symptoms in the visible region of the spectrum become evident.
Another major effort in our research program has involved the use of aerial CIR imagery for mapping communities of native vegetation occurring in coastal areas such as South Padre Island and the spoil (dredged-material) islands occurring within the Lower Laguna Madre. We recently completed a 2-year project which clearly demonstrated the fundamentally important role of native vegetation in the stabilization of dune fields on South Padre Island, and the substantial erosion which occurs in the absence of such vegetation. We are currently involved in the development of an expanded project which will involve the modeling of wind-flow patterns and magnitude of sand transport associated with certain topographic landscapes (e.g., small dune fields with and without stabilizing vegetation) on the barrier island. These data are expected to clarify the effects of wind-caused (eolian) erosion occurring on South Padre Island, and may provide possible solutions to this serious environmental problem. These projects will close cooperation between faculty members at UTPA, and with scientists affiliated with the Remote Sensing Unit of the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Weslaco, Texas.