Satellite Sensor Requirements for Monitoring Essential Biodiversity Variables of Coastal Ecosystems
Abstract
The biodiversity and high productivity of coastal terrestrial and aquatic habitats are the foundation for important benefits to human societies around the world. These globally distributed habitats need frequent and broad systematic assessments, but field surveys only cover a small fraction of these areas. Satellite-based sensors can repeatedly record the visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra that contain the absorption, scattering, and fluorescence signatures of functional phytoplankton groups, colored dissolved matter, and particulate matter near the surface ocean, and of biologically structured habitats (floating and emergent vegetation, benthic habitats like coral, seagrass, and algae). These measures can be incorporated into Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), including the distribution, abundance, and traits of groups of species populations, and used to evaluate habitat fragmentation. However, current and planned satellites are not designed to observe the EBVs that change rapidly with extreme tides, salinity, temperatures, storms, pollution, or physical habitat destruction over scales relevant to human activity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 27, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1102331
Entities
People
- Anthony Freeman
- Arnold G. Dekker
- Brian A. Franz
- Bryan A. Franz
- Christiana Ade
- Dar A. Roberts
- David Humm
- David Siegel
- Erin Hestir
- Frank E. Muller-Karger
- Frank Morgan
- James Goodman
- Kevin Turpie
- Mary Keller
- Nima Pahlevan
- Robert Frouin
- Robert J Miller
- Royal Gardner
- Ryan Pavlick
- Steven G. Ackleson
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory