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© Springer International Publishing AG 2017
R. Díaz-Delgado et al. (eds.), The Roles of Remote Sensing in Nature Conservation,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-64332-8_4
Long-Term Ecological Monitoring at the
Landscape Scale for Nature Conservation:
The Example of Doñana Protected Area
Ricardo Díaz-Delgado
Abstract This chapter describes, as an example, the integration of a landscape
scale approach based on remote sensing applications into the Long-Term Ecological
Monitoring program of the Doñana protected area. I report the contribution of the
landscape- scale monitoring by using remote sensing tools sensu lato, provided by
its retrospective vision and multi-scale analysis capacity. The implemented protocols are set up as a multi-scale approach and are validated with a network of groundtruth field plots. The landscape scale monitoring program is being applied not only
to habitats but also to species and to track natural and human-driven processes,
mainly management actions. The approach is applied to monitor wetlands, terrestrial plant communities and geophysical processes. The chapter focuses on trends
and shifts evidenced by the landscape scale approach that have been published or
reported for decision making and conservation management planning. Some pros
and cons are finally discussed in relation to data source availability, mission continuity and technical requirements.
Keywords Landscape scale • Remote sensing • Global change • Conservation
management
Introduction
From its beginnings back in 1969, conservation in Doñana (Southwest of Spain)
involved a team of researchers and managers who were aware of the importance of
acquiring knowledge for the effective preservation of this protected area. In this
process, the birds, Iberian (Lynx pardinus) and Cork Oak (Quercus suber) populations were critical in raising awareness of the need for systematic long-term data
acquisition as a baseline for management.
R. Díaz-Delgado (*)
Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
e-mail: rdiaz@ebd.csic.es
© Springer International Publishing AG 2017
R. Díaz-Delgado et al. (eds.), The Roles of Remote Sensing in Nature Conservation,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-64332-8_4
Long-Term Ecological Monitoring at the
Landscape Scale for Nature Conservation:
The Example of Doñana Protected Area
Ricardo Díaz-Delgado
Abstract This chapter describes, as an example, the integration of a landscape
scale approach based on remote sensing applications into the Long-Term Ecological
Monitoring program of the Doñana protected area. I report the contribution of the
landscape- scale monitoring by using remote sensing tools sensu lato, provided by
its retrospective vision and multi-scale analysis capacity. The implemented protocols are set up as a multi-scale approach and are validated with a network of groundtruth field plots. The landscape scale monitoring program is being applied not only
to habitats but also to species and to track natural and human-driven processes,
mainly management actions. The approach is applied to monitor wetlands, terrestrial plant communities and geophysical processes. The chapter focuses on trends
and shifts evidenced by the landscape scale approach that have been published or
reported for decision making and conservation management planning. Some pros
and cons are finally discussed in relation to data source availability, mission continuity and technical requirements.
Keywords Landscape scale • Remote sensing • Global change • Conservation
management
Introduction
From its beginnings back in 1969, conservation in Doñana (Southwest of Spain)
involved a team of researchers and managers who were aware of the importance of
acquiring knowledge for the effective preservation of this protected area. In this
process, the birds, Iberian (Lynx pardinus) and Cork Oak (Quercus suber) populations were critical in raising awareness of the need for systematic long-term data
acquisition as a baseline for management.
R. Díaz-Delgado (*)
Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
e-mail: rdiaz@ebd.csic.es