BIOSPACE25 is the first international conference exclusively dedicated to the application of Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) across the various dimensions of biodiversity, and addressing the use of Earth Observations in all realms, from terrestrial, freshwater, coastal to marine ecosystems.
Relationships between shelf-sea fronts and biodiversity studied using Earth observation data
Fronts – the interface between water masses – are hotspots for rich and diverse marine life, influencing the foraging distribution of many megafauna. We have analysed a long time-series of Earth observation (EO) data using novel algorithms to characterise the distribution and dynamic of ocean fronts, and used these to investigate links to biodiversity hotspots and to explore key drivers for changes in fronts and these relationships.
FRONTWARD (Fronts for Marine Wildlife Assessment for Renewable Developments) aims to provide evidence to justify the inclusion of frontal locations in marine spatial planning, most pressingly for zones for offshore windfarms. Biodiversity hotspots are identified using a biodiversity index, created using an unprecedented collation of UK at-sea observations of seabirds, fish and cetaceans spanning several decades (1980s-2020s). Generalised additive models (GAMs) reveal the spatial influence of fronts on biodiversity, and provide predictions of biodiversity based on EO-detected front maps. The outcomes from this project will feed into the evidence base for marine conservation, and decisions on siting of future offshore renewable energy projects.
16 March 2024
- 30 April 2025
18 February 2025
- 19 February 2025
6 March 2025
11 March 2025
12 March 2025
21 April 2025
23 June 2025