Integrating remote sensing with ecology and evolution to advance biodiversity conservation

Area of Science:

• Biodiversity science
• Remote sensing
• Ecology and evolution

Background:

• Remote sensing provides spatial and temporal insights into ecosystem structure, composition, and function.
• Many biodiversity aspects remain unquantified by remote sensing alone, necessitating complementary approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for integrating remote sensing with field-based ecological and evolutionary data.
• To highlight the necessity of diverse data types for achieving Convention on Biological Diversity targets.
• To demonstrate how integrated approaches can advance biodiversity science and conservation.

Main Methods:

• Examining five key topics in biodiversity science.
• Integrating remote sensing with in situ data from field sampling, experiments, and laboratory studies.
• Analyzing the benefits for conservation efforts.

Main Results:

• Multiple data types are essential for most biodiversity targets.
• Integration enhances understanding of spatial and temporal biodiversity dimensions.
• Combined approaches offer significant benefits for conservation.

Conclusions:

• Inclusive integration of remote sensing and field-based data is crucial for comprehensive biodiversity monitoring.
• Global collaboration is required to overcome barriers in combining these approaches.
• This integrated strategy is vital for understanding and preserving Earth's biodiversity.