Satellite remote sensing of ecosystem functions: opportunities, challenges and way forward

Pettorelli, Nathalie; Tulloch, Ayesha; Macinnis-Ng, Cate; Keith, David A.; Wegmann, Martin; Schrodt, Franziska; Stellmes, Marion; Sonnenschein, Ruth; Geller, Gary N.; Roy, Shovonlal; Somers, Ben; Murray, Nicholas; Bland, Lucie; Geijzendorffer, Ilse; Kerr, Jeremy T.; Broszeit, Stefanie; Duncan, Clare; El Serafy, Ghada; He, Kate S.; Blanchard, Julia L.; Lucas, Richard; Mairota, Paola; Webb, Thomas J.; Nicholson, Emily

doi:10.1002/rse2.59

Satellite remote sensing of ecosystem functions: opportunities, challenges and way forward

Authors

Nathalie Pettorelli

Henrike

Ayesha Tulloch

Dubois

Cate Macinnis-Ng

Ana M.

David A. Keith

Martin Wegmann

Dr FRANZISKA SCHRODT FRANZISKA.SCHRODT1@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Associate Professor

Marion Stellmes

Ruth Sonnenschein

Gary N. Geller

Shovonlal Roy

Ben Somers

Nicholas Murray

Lucie Bland

Ilse Geijzendorffer

Jeremy T. Kerr

Stefanie Broszeit

Pedro J.

Clare Duncan

Ghada El Serafy

Kate S. He

Julia L. Blanchard

Richard Lucas

Paola Mairota

Thomas J. Webb

Emily Nicholson

Contributors

Marcus Rowcliffe
Editor

Mat Disney
Editor

Abstract

Societal, economic and scientific interests in knowing where biodiversity is, how it is faring and what can be done to efficiently mitigate further biodiversity loss and the associated loss of ecosystem services are at an all?time high. So far, however, biodiversity monitoring has primarily focused on structural and compositional features of ecosystems despite growing evidence that ecosystem functions are key to elucidating the mechanisms through which biological diversity generates services to humanity. This monitoring gap can be traced to the current lack of consensus on what exactly ecosystem functions are and how to track them at scales beyond the site level. This contribution aims to advance the development of a global biodiversity monitoring strategy by proposing the adoption of a set of definitions and a typology for ecosystem functions, and reviewing current opportunities and potential limitations for satellite remote sensing technology to support the monitoring of ecosystem functions worldwide. By clearly defining ecosystem processes, functions and services and their interrelationships, we provide a framework to improve communication between ecologists, land and marine managers, remote sensing specialists and policy makers, thereby addressing a major barrier in the field.

Citation

Pettorelli, N., Schulte to Bühne, H., Tulloch, A., Dubois, G., Macinnis-Ng, C., Queirós, A. M., …Nicholson, E. (2018). Satellite remote sensing of ecosystem functions: opportunities, challenges and way forward. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 4(2), 71-93. https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.59

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Jun 23, 2017
Online Publication Date	Aug 10, 2017
Publication Date	2018-06
Deposit Date	Dec 14, 2018
Journal	Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation
Publisher	Wiley
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	4
Issue	2
Pages	71-93
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.59
Public URL	https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1415147
Publisher URL	https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rse2.59