Combining European Earth Observation products with Dynamic Global Vegetation Models for estimating Essential Biodiversity Variables

Global,fast and accessible monitoring of biodiversity is one of the main pillars of the efforts undertaken in order to revert it loss.The Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network(GEO-BON)provided an expert-based definition of the biological properties that should be monitored,the Essential Biodiversity Variables(EBVs).Initiatives to provide indicators for EBVs rely on global,freely available remote sensing(RS)products in combination with empirical models and field data,and are invaluable for decision making.In this study,we provide alternatives for the expansion and improvement of the EBV indicators,by suggesting current and future data from the European Space Agencýs COPERNICUS and explore the potential of RS-integrated Dynamic Global Vegetation Models(DGVMs)for the estimation of EBVs.Our review found that mainly due to the inclusion of the Sentinel constellation,Copernicus products have similar or superior potential for EBV indicator estimation in relation to their NASA counterparts.DGVMs simulate the ecosystem level EBVs(ecosystem function and structure),and when integrated with remote sensing data have great potential to not only offer improved estimation of current states but to provide projection of ecosystem impacts.We suggest that focus on producing EBV relevant outputs should be a priority within the research community,to support biodiversity preservation efforts.

From the Challenges Imposed by Climate Change to the Preservation of Ecosystem Processes and Services

Today, especially in countries that offer a satisfactory quality of life, it is easy to forget that we depend directly and indirectly on services provided by ecosystems such as quantity and quality of water, energy, food, health, and shelter. In less developed countries, the daily struggle for essential goods makes this dependency more real, despite the lack of knowledge, organization and/or financial resources to deal with the problems imposed on ecosystems by climate and anthropogenic changes. Protecting ecosystems by ensuring the services they provide has become highly dependent on our management capacity, our understanding of its functioning, and our capacity for persuasion. Demographic pressure and individualism compromise the survival of various species, including our own, and create pressures under governments and the stability of nations. The notion of facing a global challenge has awakened in the scientific community the need to focus on developing global strategies that change the mind-sets of decision makers, industry, governments and markets. Global knowledge networks and experts are being built to mitigate problems on a global scale. In this mini review, the authors make a brief visit to documents, intergovernmental initiatives, and platforms that have been built with the aim of contributing to promote a resolution for the global problems.

中国森林生物多样性监测:科学基础与执行计划

中国森林生物多样性保护和恢复措施的制订依赖于生物多样性的监测信息。设计一个有效的生物多样性监测网络是一项复杂的系统工程。监测网络的设计框架可分为监测目标、监测对象、监测指标、取样策略、数据采集和处理、网络维护以及组织工作等几个部分。目前,国际上已有5个得到广泛认可的生物多样性监测网络,包括地球观测组织–生物多样性监测网络、全球森林监测网络、热带生态评估与监测网络、泛欧洲森林监测网络和亚马逊森林清查网络,它们的监测目标、监测内容和方法、样地布局及部分监测成果各有特色。我们试图在全国生物多样性监测、森林资源清查和森林生态系统定位研究的基础上,通过网络布局、建设和运行,形成中国森林生物多样性监测网(Chinese Forest Biodiversity Monitoring Network,Sino BON-CFor Bio)及其监测规范体系。该网络的科学目标是,在全国尺度上研究不同典型地带性森林的生物多样性维持机制、监测森林生物多样性变化并阐明其机理、研究生物多样性变化的效应。该网络布局以《中国植被区划》中的森林植被区划成果作为顶层设计和监测样地选择的核心依据,设计了4个层级的监测系统;其监测指标体系以生物多样性核心指标为主,并结合我国传统森林群落调查方法进行拓展;预期建成国家水平上的森林生物多样性监测网络,阐明森林生物多样性维持机制和生物多样性变化的效应,同时对重大生态保护工程的生物多样性保护效果进行有效性监测和验证型监测。

中国生物多样性核心监测指标遥感产品体系构建与思考

生物多样性的稳定维持关乎人类生存发展与地球健康。生物多样性核心监测指标(Essential Biodiversity Variables,EBVs)旨在结合地面调查与遥感技术,为大尺度、长时间序列的生物多样性监测提供新的解决方案。然而,目前学界仍然缺乏一套国家尺度标准化EBVs遥感监测产品数据集,以进行生物多样性评估。本研究旨在对中国生物多样性核心监测指标遥感产品进行体系构建与思考,首先综述了目前EBVs的遥感研究概况,并根据EBVs研究文献的数量进行调研分析;同时,本文在已有遥感生物多样性产品优先标准的基础上,添加了“可重复性”的新标准,并据此构建了中国EBVs遥感产品体系与监测数据集的指标清单,最终对中国EBVs遥感研究存在的问题进行思考与讨论。本研究可为中国的生物多样性遥感监测提供科学依据,有望为中国生物多样性政策的制定提供支撑。