EO-based indicators for biodiversity monitoring at national scale in Greece: framework development for the Hellenic biodiversity information system (EL-BIOS)

Abstract

Biodiversity is a critical component of Earth's life support systems, influencing ecosystem productivity, resilience, and functionality. Effective monitoring and conservation of biodiversity at a national scale are crucial in the face of global environmental changes. The upcoming biodiversity information system for Greece, namely EL-BIOS, is developing a set of national biodiversity indicators including those based on Earth Observation (EO). The two focus areas of these indicators will be a) state and b) threats, pressures and impacts to biodiversity. The selection of indicators followed a step-by-step procedure, initially involving an exhaustive review of existing frameworks and international initiatives that have developed relevant indicators. These included among others the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership, Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and European Environment Agency (EEA). A thorough analysis of the latest EO technologies and computing advances was also conducted to assess technological feasibility and maturity. Governmental and non-governmental stakeholders were also engaged to ensure their interest in and the adoption of the indicators for biodiversity conservation and monitoring. The final list includes among others nine EO-based indicators that will be ingested in the EL-BIOS EO-data cube related to net primary productivity, seasonality of carbon fluxes, vegetation phenology, plant diversity, vegetation structure, landscape fragmentation, ecosystem type transformations and imperviousness.