POV: You’re a scientist studying biodiversity

📍South Africa’s Greater Cape Floristic Region

NASA satellites and airborne tools are being used in an international effort, known as BioSCape, to better understand the region’s unique ecosystems. The findings could help inform future satellite missions aimed at studying plants and animals.

The BioSCape team is testing whether remote sensing instruments, like satellites, can collect biodiversity information across different environments. Space-based instruments can cover more ground faster and more frequently than airborne instruments or crews in the field.

The effort is a collaboration between NASA, the University at Buffalo, University of California, Merced, and several South African organizations including the University of Cape Town and the South African Environmental Observation Network.

Climate change plays an increasing role in the global decline of biodiversity– the variety of life on Earth. Scientists use NASA data to track ecosystem changes and to develop tools for conserving life on land, in our ocean, and in freshwater ecosystems.

#Biodiversity #NASA #SouthAfrica #Earth #Science #Climate

Image Descriptions (credit: Adam Wilson):
1. Two people stand on a ridge with blue and turquoise on either side. The ridge is covered in lush greenery and has a pathway through it. The sun is peeking over the ridge creating a small lens flare.
2. Two people collecting data in a rocky area surrounded by mountains. One person is bent down analyzing a part of the ground behind a boulder. The other is standing off to the right holding a notebook.
3. Researcher in yellow jacket and dark blue hat leaning over the side of a boat holding a scientific instrument. The instrument has a gauge on the top and is aimed at the water.
4. Two people looking at a phone. They are standing in a grassy area with mountains behind them. There are two more people standing to the left of them looking out into the field.
5. Three scientists in a small, red research boat. Two of them are bending over in the boat. One of them is holding a small net over the side of the boat.