519
© 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_20
Chapter 20
Epilogue: Toward a Global Biodiversity
Monitoring System
Gary N. Geller, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, John A. Gamon, Kyle McDonald,
Erika Podest, Phil A. Townsend, and Susan Ustin
The loss of biological diversity in our era is occurring at a faster rate than at any time
in the recent past. To effectively manage losses and avoid catastrophic outcomes, it
is imperative to advance the understanding of how ecosystems are changing, what
is being lost, and the fundamental causes driving extinction. With this in mind, the
Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) was
started in 2008 to begin building a global observation network and support improved
management of the world’s biodiversity and ecosystem services (Scholes et al.
2008). Despite good progress, much work remains to fully realize this vision, and
RS has an important role to play – its potential to contribute to monitoring biodiversity and ecosystems has long been discussed in the literature, and it has proven to be
extremely valuable (e.g., Stoms and Estes 1993; Nagendra 2001; Cash et al. 2003;
G. N. Geller (*) · E. Podest
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
e-mail: gary.n.geller@jpl.nasa.gov
J. Cavender-Bares
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota,
Saint Paul, MN, USA
J. A. Gamon
Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
CALMIT, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
K. McDonald
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
P. A. Townsend
Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
S. Ustin
Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis,
Davis, CA, USA
© 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_20
Chapter 20
Epilogue: Toward a Global Biodiversity
Monitoring System
Gary N. Geller, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, John A. Gamon, Kyle McDonald,
Erika Podest, Phil A. Townsend, and Susan Ustin
The loss of biological diversity in our era is occurring at a faster rate than at any time
in the recent past. To effectively manage losses and avoid catastrophic outcomes, it
is imperative to advance the understanding of how ecosystems are changing, what
is being lost, and the fundamental causes driving extinction. With this in mind, the
Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) was
started in 2008 to begin building a global observation network and support improved
management of the world’s biodiversity and ecosystem services (Scholes et al.
2008). Despite good progress, much work remains to fully realize this vision, and
RS has an important role to play – its potential to contribute to monitoring biodiversity and ecosystems has long been discussed in the literature, and it has proven to be
extremely valuable (e.g., Stoms and Estes 1993; Nagendra 2001; Cash et al. 2003;
G. N. Geller (*) · E. Podest
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
e-mail: gary.n.geller@jpl.nasa.gov
J. Cavender-Bares
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota,
Saint Paul, MN, USA
J. A. Gamon
Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
CALMIT, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
K. McDonald
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
P. A. Townsend
Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
S. Ustin
Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis,
Davis, CA, USA