524
across a range of spatial and temporal scales – and particularly when combined with
the new and forthcoming spaceborne sensors – such a system will enable a new era
for biodiversity monitoring, and it will be global.
A system like that in Box 20.1, of course, is only part of the picture – the other
part, upon which it completely depends, acquires the data it utilizes. While many of
these data are collected by the spaceborne instruments operated by several space
agencies, utilizing them to understand biodiversity on the ground depends critically
on in-situ data. Integrating the two is a key challenge at hand, as discussed in the
introduction to the book (Chap. 1), and is what enables inferences to be made from
space about the biodiversity on the ground. Airborne data is often used as an intermediary – basically, a “scaling tool” for understanding the scale dependence and
process-level understanding of signals related to biodiversity (Gamon et al., Chap.
16). Thus, off the bottom edge of the figure in Box 20.1, there exists a huge suite of
data collection activities that are not shown. While some of those data are made
widely available – the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an excellent example – a tremendous amount of in-situ and airborne data remains inaccessible or difficult to locate and utilize (see Fernández et al., Chap. 18). The data may
not be published online, but even if published the variables collected, the methods
used, and the formats of the data are often specific to each activity because they are
operated by independent projects or organizations.
Lack of standardization is one of the challenges involved in developing an integrated system for biodiversity monitoring, though this issue is starting to be
addressed. GEO BON and its parent organization (the Group on Earth Observations,
GEO), the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) site network, the
US National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), and a variety of sponsors
and other organizations are working to enhance coordination and to develop guidelines and standards. Many of these activities are sponsored by governments, and in
fact it is government agencies that can best facilitate and develop coordinated, operational observation systems. Thus, one of GEO BON’s focal areas is development
of national and regional Biodiversity Observation Networks (BONs), and as discussed in Fernández et al. (Chap. 18), GEO BON is developing a suite of Essential
Biodiversity Variables to provide top-level guidance on what data these BONs
should collect and to facilitate development of standards. For spaceborne RS data,
the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), which includes most
national space agencies, facilitates the coordination of missions as well as of data
standards.
Even a brief overview of a system concept like this should discuss how to ensure
that the products it generates meet the needs of its target users. The “usability” of
any product depends on who the user is and their level of expertise. Historically,
most RS-based datasets and products have been oriented toward scientific users
who have the resources and expertise to process them further. However, other users
such as land managers or decision-makers, whose expertise lies elsewhere, require
more specialized and more highly derived products – as well as user-friendly tools
that enable them to explore and understand the meaning of those products for efficient application. These tools appear toward the right edge of the figure in Box 20.1.
G. N. Geller et al.
across a range of spatial and temporal scales – and particularly when combined with
the new and forthcoming spaceborne sensors – such a system will enable a new era
for biodiversity monitoring, and it will be global.
A system like that in Box 20.1, of course, is only part of the picture – the other
part, upon which it completely depends, acquires the data it utilizes. While many of
these data are collected by the spaceborne instruments operated by several space
agencies, utilizing them to understand biodiversity on the ground depends critically
on in-situ data. Integrating the two is a key challenge at hand, as discussed in the
introduction to the book (Chap. 1), and is what enables inferences to be made from
space about the biodiversity on the ground. Airborne data is often used as an intermediary – basically, a “scaling tool” for understanding the scale dependence and
process-level understanding of signals related to biodiversity (Gamon et al., Chap.
16). Thus, off the bottom edge of the figure in Box 20.1, there exists a huge suite of
data collection activities that are not shown. While some of those data are made
widely available – the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an excellent example – a tremendous amount of in-situ and airborne data remains inaccessible or difficult to locate and utilize (see Fernández et al., Chap. 18). The data may
not be published online, but even if published the variables collected, the methods
used, and the formats of the data are often specific to each activity because they are
operated by independent projects or organizations.
Lack of standardization is one of the challenges involved in developing an integrated system for biodiversity monitoring, though this issue is starting to be
addressed. GEO BON and its parent organization (the Group on Earth Observations,
GEO), the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) site network, the
US National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), and a variety of sponsors
and other organizations are working to enhance coordination and to develop guidelines and standards. Many of these activities are sponsored by governments, and in
fact it is government agencies that can best facilitate and develop coordinated, operational observation systems. Thus, one of GEO BON’s focal areas is development
of national and regional Biodiversity Observation Networks (BONs), and as discussed in Fernández et al. (Chap. 18), GEO BON is developing a suite of Essential
Biodiversity Variables to provide top-level guidance on what data these BONs
should collect and to facilitate development of standards. For spaceborne RS data,
the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), which includes most
national space agencies, facilitates the coordination of missions as well as of data
standards.
Even a brief overview of a system concept like this should discuss how to ensure
that the products it generates meet the needs of its target users. The “usability” of
any product depends on who the user is and their level of expertise. Historically,
most RS-based datasets and products have been oriented toward scientific users
who have the resources and expertise to process them further. However, other users
such as land managers or decision-makers, whose expertise lies elsewhere, require
more specialized and more highly derived products – as well as user-friendly tools
that enable them to explore and understand the meaning of those products for efficient application. These tools appear toward the right edge of the figure in Box 20.1.
G. N. Geller et al.