| Biodiversity in the Open Ocean: Mapping, Monitoring and Modelling (BOOMS) | Increasing pressure due to anthropogenic drivers is leading to a reduction of global biodiversity and its associated benefits at the planetary scale. In open ocean (seafloor depth greater than 200 m) the most important direct drivers of [...] | Plymouth Marine Laboratory (GB) | Science | biodiversity flagship, biodiversity science cluster, coastal processes, coastal zone, Ecosystems, marine environment, ocean health flagship, ocean science cluster, oceans, science, sea surface topography | Increasing pressure due to anthropogenic drivers is leading to a reduction of global biodiversity and its associated benefits at the planetary scale. In open ocean (seafloor depth greater than 200 m) the most important direct drivers of biodiversity loss is fishing and extraction of seafood, with a lesser but rapidly increasing importance of climate change, pollution and invasive species. These drivers have accelerated in the last 50 years and they are predicted to continue, despite international efforts in the last decades. To guide further action, it is, therefore, urgent and important to develop “fit-for-purpose” observation tools. These observations should be capable of assessing and monitoring how the community structure and function of coastal ecosystems respond to the anthropogenic and natural drivers in a changing climate. The BOOMS project aims to provide the best possible characterisation of oceanic seascapes (habitats defined by physical, chemical or biological characteristics), and its relationship to Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBV) globally. It will produce a >10-year time series of seascapes based on 4-km resolution remote sensing data over the global ocean, combining independent datasets from advanced algorithms of ocean colour and sea surface temperature. BOOMS will focus on three Science Case Studies, for different trophic levels: phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish. In particular, this project main objectives are: Identify and characterise critical applications (Science Case Studies) of remote sensing to study open ocean biodiversity, with a focus on dynamic seascapes.
Develop a global dataset and evaluate its application for each Science Case Study.
Engage with the community of biodiversity stakeholders (scientific and Early Adopters) and the remote sensing community throughout the project.
Define the activities necessary to utilise current and planned sensors to detect measures of marine biodiversity; or define new approaches, if the existing ones are not considered capable to fulfil the targeted science objectives. |
| Biodiversity of the Coastal Ocean: Monitoring with Earth observation (BiCOME) | Increasing pressure on nature due to anthropogenic drivers is leading to a reduction of global biodiversity and its associated benefits at the planetary scale. In coastal environments, the most important direct drivers of biodiversity loss are [...] | Plymouth Marine Laboratory (GB) | Applications | biodiversity flagship, biodiversity science cluster, coastal processes, coastal zone, Ecosystems, marine environment, ocean health flagship, ocean science cluster, oceans, science | Increasing pressure on nature due to anthropogenic drivers is leading to a reduction of global biodiversity and its associated benefits at the planetary scale. In coastal environments, the most important direct drivers of biodiversity loss are fishing, land and sea use, climate change and pollution. These drivers have accelerated in the last 50 years, and they are predicted to continue, despite international efforts in the last decades. To guide further action, it is therefore urgent and important to develop “fit-for-purpose” observation tools. These observations should be capable of assessing and monitoring how the community structure and function of coastal ecosystems will respond to the anthropogenic and natural drivers in a changing climate. BiCOME aims to develop and provide the necessary evidence and promote a set of global Earth Observation products for biodiversity science and policy for the coastal zone. In particular this project will: Identify and characterise critical applications (Pilot Studies) of remote sensing to study coastal biodiversity.
Evaluate existing and planned sensor capabilities for each Pilot Study.
Engage with the community of biodiversity stakeholders (scientific and policy makers) and the remote sensing community throughout the project.
Define the activities necessary to utilise current and planned sensors to detect measures of marine biodiversity; or define new approaches, if the existing ones are not considered capable to fulfil the targeted science objectives. |
| BIODIVERSITY+ PRECURSORS EXPRO+ THEME 1 – TERRESTRIAL: Earth Observation for Biodiversity Modelling (EO4Diversity) | The main EO4Diversity objective and key innovation is to predict and monitor biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems through the integration of state-of-the-art multi-sensor Earth Observation (EO) imagery and products with next-generation [...] | UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE (NL) | Science | biodiversity flagship, biodiversity science cluster | The main EO4Diversity objective and key innovation is to predict and monitor biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems through the integration of state-of-the-art multi-sensor Earth Observation (EO) imagery and products with next-generation ecological models. The project addresses important biodiversity science gaps, including (i) filling data gaps in the geographic, temporal, habitat and taxonomic composition coverage from in situ biodiversity observations; (ii) filling knowledge gaps, thereby assessing global species diversity; (iii) forecasting ecological degradation in order to define effective actions to reduce terrestrial biodiversity loss; as well as (iv) filling gaps in the data-policy link which may lead to a disconnection of biodiversity data that EO can generate and policy strategies including the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the UN SDGs and the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) post-2020 targets. The scientific and policy analyses, pilot demonstrations and agenda-setting that will be done during EO4Diversity will serve as a basis for the implementation of the EC-ESA Biodiversity Flagship Action in 2023. |
| BIODIVERSITY+ PRECURSORS EXPRO+ THEME 2 – FRESHWATER (BIOMONDO) | The European Space Agency (ESA) activity called Biodiversity+ Precursors is acontribution to the joint EC-ESA Earth System Science Initiative launched in February 2020 to jointly advance Earth System Science and its response to the global [...] | BROCKMANN GEOMATICS SWEDEN AB (HEAD (SE) | Science | biodiversity flagship, biodiversity science cluster, rivers | The European Space Agency (ESA) activity called Biodiversity+ Precursors is acontribution to the joint EC-ESA Earth System Science Initiative launched in February 2020 to jointly advance Earth System Science and its response to the global challenges that society is facing in the onset of this century. The ESABiodiversity+ Precursors include three projects on different themes; land (EO4Diversity), coast (BiCOME) and freshwaters (BIOMONDO). BIOMONDO is the freshwater project, and has a focus on biodiversity in lakes, wetlands, river and streams.
Based on an in-depth-analysis of the relevant sources for scientific and policy priorities, the main knowledge gaps and challenges in biodiversity monitoring, including capabilities of current and future Earth Observation (EO) systems, are identified. Requirements related to EBVs, to drivers for change and to ecosystem functions are compared to (todays and future) possibilities and available data from EO.
These findings are then the basis for development of innovative integrated earth science solutions that integrate EO based products, state-of-the-art biodiversity modelling and in situ data using advanced data science andinformation and communications technology. The BIOMONDO team has selected three solutions, or pilots, which focus on eutrophication, water temperature and heat waves, and river connectivity, and their impact on biodiversity. |
| deteCtion and threAts of maRinE Heat waves (CAREHeat) | | CNR-INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCES-ISMAR (IT) | Science | biodiversity science cluster, blue economy, carbon cycle, climate, Ecosystems, marine environment, ocean health flagship, ocean heat budget, ocean science cluster, oceans, SST | |
| HyperBOOST | In situ bio-optical datasets are essential for the assessment of the uncertainties of satellite ocean colour measurements and derived products. This is especially critical in coastal waters (between 200m and 5km distance from the coastline), [...] | Plymouth Marine Laboratory (GB) | Science | biodiversity flagship, biodiversity science cluster, coastal processes, coastal zone, Ecosystems, marine environment, ocean health flagship, ocean science cluster, oceans, science | In situ bio-optical datasets are essential for the assessment of the uncertainties of satellite ocean colour measurements and derived products. This is especially critical in coastal waters (between 200m and 5km distance from the coastline), where land adjacency effects, complex atmospheric aerosol mixtures, high loads of optically active components in particular high concentration of chromophoric dissolved organic matter, and bottom reflectance effects contaminate the signal that reaches the satellite. Yet, extensive campaigns with unified sample collection and analysis protocols covering a wide range of optical and environmental conditions are rare in the literature.
The Tara expedition (https://fondationtaraocean.org/en/home/) within the frame of the Traversing European Coastlines project (https://www.embl.org/about/info/trec/expedition/), offers in 2023-2024 the unique opportunity of an oceanographic survey from a unique platform, using the same set of protocols, instruments, and sample analysis, collocated with a rich biological dataset describing the microbiologic diversity in detail. This integrated profiling across environmental and man-made gradients of micro- and macroscopic life will enable the collection of a first of the kind, pan-European census of European coastal ecosystems.
The Hyperspectral Bio-Optical Observations Sailing on Tara (HyperBOOST) project aims to extend the variables collected during the TREC integrated sampling by including bio-optical measurements relevant to present and future satellite ocean colour missions.
The aims of this project are to: Provide validation data (in-situ hyperspectral radiometry, bio-optical, optically active components biogeochemical and biodiversity relevant data) in optically complex waters for several missions/products: S2, S3, Landsat8/9, PRISMA, ENMAP, PACE (stations during 2024)
Provide a hyperspectral bio-optical characterization of European regional seas with a consistent set of instruments/measurement protocols
Validate satellite products from different sources
Preparation activities for ESA CHIME in coastal waters |
| Integrated Remote Sensing for Biodiversity-Ecosystems Function – IRS4BEF | The combination of information provided by different optical and thermal spaceborne imagers can give complementary information about vegetation plant biodiversity and ecosystem functions to understand their links (BEF relationships) better. [...] | MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR BIOGEOCHEMISTRY (DE) | Science | biodiversity science cluster, ecosystems/vegetation, living planet fellowship | The combination of information provided by different optical and thermal spaceborne imagers can give complementary information about vegetation plant biodiversity and ecosystem functions to understand their links (BEF relationships) better. However, how integrating multi-mission information in this context remains unclear. Therefore, IRS4BEF wants to solve relevant methodological questions regarding the integration and analysis of these data.
IRS4BEF seeks to: understand how multi-mission data in the optical and thermal domains can be integrated to provide enhanced estimates of plant functional diversity that are linked to ecosystem functions and their responses to the environment, considering the added value of the different missions.
determining the optimal approaches to integrate remote biodiversity estimates with ecosystem function responses to the environment as measured in eddy covariance stations to assess and monitor BEF relationships. Climate change and human activities jeopardize ecosystems’ biodiversity, functions, and services. Ecological studies suggest that biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining ecosystem function and stability in response to climate variability and extreme events (BEF relationships). Thus, knowing and exploiting BEF relationships is necessary to understand better how to maintain ecosystem services under the current decline in biodiversity. However, the lack of cost-effective, synoptic, and global biodiversity monitoring systems compromises the adequate implementation of conservation programs and understanding BEF relationships.
Remote sensing (RS) is advancing in studying different facets of plant biodiversity and has emerged as a potential biodiversity monitoring tool. It can capture signals linked with vegetation properties (i.e., plant traits) that govern ecosystems’ functions and responses to the environment and signals directly related to such functions (thermal radiation, photochemical reflectance index (PRI), or sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF)). At the same time, the spatial variability of these signals relates to the variability of vegetation functional properties.
However, it is unclear how to exploit this multi-source information to assess biodiversity and BEF relationships. For example, which missions should be combined? And how? IRS4BEF seeks to determine which multi-mission integration methods optimize the characterization of plant functional diversity for analyzing and monitoring BEF relationships from space. |
