Two prominent limitations of species distribution models (SDMs) are spatial biases in existing occurrence data and a lack of spatially explicit predictor variables to fully capture habitat characteristics of species. Can existing and emerging remote sensing technologies meet these challenges and improve future SDMs? We believe so. Novel products derived from multispectral and hyperspectral sensors, as well as future Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and RADAR missions, may play a key role in improving model performance. In this perspective piece, we demonstrate how modern sensors onboard satellites, planes and unmanned aerial vehicles are revolutionizing the way we can detect and monitor both plant and animal species in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as allowing the emergence of novel predictor variables appropriate for species distribution modeling. We hope this interdisciplinary perspective will motivate ecologists, remote sensing experts and modelers to work together for developing a more refined SDM framework in the near future.
Citation: | He, K.S.; Bradley, B.A.; Cord, A.F.; Rocchini, D.; Tuanmu, M.N.; Schmidtlein, S.; Turner, W.; Wegmann, M.; Pettorelli, N. (2015). Will remote sensing shape the next generation of species distribution models?. REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION, 1 (1): 4-18. doi: 10.1002/rse2.7 handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/25805 |
Internal authors: | |
Organization unit: | Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology Department # CRI_2011-JAN2016 |
Authors: | He, K.S.; Bradley, B.A.; Cord, A.F.; Rocchini, D.; Tuanmu, M.N.; Schmidtlein, S.; Turner, W.; Wegmann, M.; Pettorelli, N. |
Title: | Will remote sensing shape the next generation of species distribution models? |
Journal: | REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION |
Issue Date: | 2015 |
Scientific Disciplinary Area: | Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia |
Keywords ENG: | Ecological niche modelling LiDAR and RADAR metrics Habitat suitability modeling Hyperspectral and multispectral data Predictor and response variables Spatial and temporal resolution |
Language: | English |
IF: | Without Impact Factor ISI |
Publication status: | Published |
Nature of content: | Articolo in rivista/Article |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | 10.1002/rse2.7 |
Appears in Collections: | 01 - Journal article |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Type | License | |
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2015 RSEC Rocchini.pdf | N/A | ![]() | Open AccessView/Open |