485
© The Author(s) 2020
J. Cavender-Bares et al. (eds.), Remote Sensing of Plant Biodiversity,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33157-3_18
Chapter 18
Essential Biodiversity Variables:
Integrating In-Situ Observations
and Remote Sensing Through Modeling
Néstor Fernández, Simon Ferrier, Laetitia M. Navarro,
and Henrique M. Pereira
18.1 Introduction
Which facets of biodiversity are changing, and what is the magnitude and direction
of these changes? How is biodiversity responding to the variety of human pressures? Are the management policies put into place effective to tackle the impact of
those pressures? While the scientific community has been addressing these questions for decades, the information gap in biodiversity science remains a major obstacle for reducing the large uncertainties associated with answering those questions.
Technological advances, collection of data by an increasing number of scientists
and volunteer citizens, and increased access to Earth observations (EO) should help
reduce this gap. Yet quantitative information is still limited, as has been its ability to
inform important international commitments such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets
in response to the global biodiversity crisis (Tittensor et al. 2014). Data collection
and monitoring protocols are often adopted by scientists, public administrations,
and environmental organizations with no effective international coordination, and
N. Fernández (*) · L. M. Navarro
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig,
Leipzig, Germany
Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
e-mail: nestor.fernandez@idiv.de
S. Ferrier
CSIRO Land and Water, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Australia
H. M. Pereira
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig,
Leipzig, Germany
Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
InBio - Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universidade do Porto,
Vairão, Portugal
© The Author(s) 2020
J. Cavender-Bares et al. (eds.), Remote Sensing of Plant Biodiversity,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33157-3_18
Chapter 18
Essential Biodiversity Variables:
Integrating In-Situ Observations
and Remote Sensing Through Modeling
Néstor Fernández, Simon Ferrier, Laetitia M. Navarro,
and Henrique M. Pereira
18.1 Introduction
Which facets of biodiversity are changing, and what is the magnitude and direction
of these changes? How is biodiversity responding to the variety of human pressures? Are the management policies put into place effective to tackle the impact of
those pressures? While the scientific community has been addressing these questions for decades, the information gap in biodiversity science remains a major obstacle for reducing the large uncertainties associated with answering those questions.
Technological advances, collection of data by an increasing number of scientists
and volunteer citizens, and increased access to Earth observations (EO) should help
reduce this gap. Yet quantitative information is still limited, as has been its ability to
inform important international commitments such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets
in response to the global biodiversity crisis (Tittensor et al. 2014). Data collection
and monitoring protocols are often adopted by scientists, public administrations,
and environmental organizations with no effective international coordination, and
N. Fernández (*) · L. M. Navarro
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig,
Leipzig, Germany
Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
e-mail: nestor.fernandez@idiv.de
S. Ferrier
CSIRO Land and Water, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Australia
H. M. Pereira
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig,
Leipzig, Germany
Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
InBio - Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universidade do Porto,
Vairão, Portugal