Remote sensing enabled essential biodiversity variables for biodiversity assessment and monitoring: technological advancement and potentials

The strong contribution of remote sensing has led to the development of the concept of the Remote Sensing enabled Essential Biodiversity Variables which represents a set of variables that can be monitored from space. This work synthesizes current state of research and technological development in use of remote sensing enabled essential biodiversity variables. The issue of scale, satellite observation requirements and status of remote sensing have been discussed in the context of monitoring of community composition, plant functional types, vegetation structure, canopy diversity, targeted animal groups, fragmentation, disturbances and as an input for biodiversity modelling, and Earth Observations based variables. This work highlighted existing approaches for addressing community level biodiversity and discusses in the context of Earth Observations as which are key components for biodiversity monitoring strategy. Biodiversity monitoring could be improved by using new satellite sensors and the synergy of remotely sensed data from multiple sensors which are providing hyperspatial, hyperspectral and hypertemporal observations. The use of remote sensing for operational monitoring of biodiversity is still under development as existing approaches and techniques have not holistically addressed the metrics of essential biodiversity variables.