The Spatial Aspects of Biodiversity

The Department of Geography has several projects using remotely sensed data to model and assess the spatial aspects of biodiversity. Recent advances in the spatial and spectral resolutions of sensors are making the direct remote sensing of certain aspects of biodiversity increasingly feasible. For example, distinguishing species assemblages and even identifying species of individual trees is possible using satellite imagery. Indirect approaches relying on environmental approaches such as proxies also offer valuable information about the diversity patterns of species assemblages and ecological communities. For example, many species are restricted to discrete habitats, such as a woodland, grassland, or sea-grass beds that can be clearly identified remotely.

By combining information about the known habitat requirements of species with maps of land cover derived from satellite imagery, estimates of potential species ranges and patterns of species richness are possible. The location and rates of change in these land covers can also be monitored and the extent and characteristics of landscape fragmentation quantified. Sensing systems are also being developed and used to quantify and characterize vegetation structure. The relationship between remotely sensed variables such as vegetation type and structure, burned areas, road networks and species distribution can now be explored. Advances in geographic information systems enable the integration of field data on species location with synoptic satellite data. Information technologies enable real-time, web based monitoring of land surface changes such as fire and flooding and species distribution.

Example Projects

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Carbon Cycling & Biodiversity	Tracking Elephants	CARPE: UMD & NASA
Indonesian Borneo Dipterocarps	National Forest	Tropical Deforestation