Application of GIS and remote sensing in ecology

Reliable information and sound assessment methods about the ecosystem enable for identification of indicator species in order to predict changes occurring in the ecosystem. Information about a given ecosystem might be collected both by ground-based and remote sensing methods. Ground-based methods of data acquisition include field observations and gathering in-situ data, while data collection using remote sensing is based on the use of image data acquired by sensors of different types. Remote sensing technology is used to collect data on inaccessible sites. This is because remote sensing enables to collect data about the area at a distance without direct contact with the object under investigation. At present, there is a need for advanced technologies in different areas such as ecosystem management, inventories and assessment of biodiversity, environmental monitoring and species-habitat suitability analysis. These technologies should be based on physical parameters of the ecosystem and socio-economic situations of the community. Therefore, remote sensing is used to evaluate the health of the ecosystem in general by monitoring the dynamics of the earth’s surface.