Biodiv Sci ›› 2022, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (10): 22530.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022530

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The outlook and system construction for monitoring Essential Biodiversity Variables based on remote sensing: The case of China

Yu Ren1,2, Shengli Tao2, Tianyu Hu3,4, Haitao Yang1, Hongcan Guan1,2, Yanjun Su3,4, Kai Cheng1,2, Mengxi Chen1, Huawei Wan5, Qinghua Guo1,2,*()   

  1. 1. Institute of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871
    2. Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871
    3. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093
    4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049
    5. Satellite Environmental Application Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100094
  • Received:2022-09-15 Accepted:2022-11-07 Online:2022-10-20 Published:2022-11-11
  • Contact: Qinghua Guo

Abstract:

Background: Maintaining biodiversity is crucial to human beings. In recent years, the concept of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) has provided new insights into large-scale and long-time biodiversity monitoring. Looking at EBVs from a national monitoring perspective, some EBVs are anticipated to correspond with remote sensing-derived variables since remote sensing is the potential methodology able to offer globally qualified data with a high spatial and temporal resolution. However, the academic community still lacks consensual remote sensing variables that can correspond with EBVs solidly.
Aims: This study aims to (1) review the current researches of remote sensing on EBVs; (2) propose a new criterion called “repeatability” on the basis of the current four remote sensing biodiversity product prioritization criteria; (3) construct a list of remote sensing products for EBVs in China based on these criteria.
Problems & Prospects: First of all, there is a lack of systematic research on EBVs in China. Second, the potential of domestic satellites is not exploited enough. Third, some EBVs remote sensing products are not yet “repeatable”. In the future, there is a need to promote cooperation among scientists in the fields of ecology, remote sensing, and aerospace to further promote scientific research on the combination of EBVs and remote sensing.

Key words: Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), remote sensing, biodiversity, species populations, species traits, community composition, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem structure