Sander Mücher IIASA, Wednesday 18 th of January 2012 WP9 ‘BIODIVERSITY’ CitIzense Proposal Meeting

Overview of the WP & partners WP9 Biodiversity (Pilot Study 4) aims at enhancing community-based monitoring of biological resources using innovative and earth observation techniques. Task 9.1 Identification of invasive species (Alterra). Task 9.2 Counting of species (SOVON, Alterra) Task 9.3 Natura 2000 Hotsport Alert System (Alterra, Wageningen University, IIASA) Task 9.4 Monitoring of biodiversity in tropical rainforests (VU- IVM, SOVON, Alterra) Other partners now involved: WAAG Society and Evolaris

CURRENT STATE Link between WP9 & WP11 (Land Change) will be enforced in involving the community characterization hotspots in Natura 2000 sites Link with WP2 (Citizen and Community Engagement), not only on best practices and co-creation but also involvement WAAG & Evolaris in educational pilot & gaming element Support from Evolaris by expertise on KeytoNature on education and identification species Evolaris will find out if bird identification can be supported by bird sound recording

Current progress SOVON (Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology) joined as a new partner A lot of expertise available by partners, which Enabled definition and activities already within each task. Fine-tuning is necessary. Additional competences WAAG and others Deliverables needs to be defined

Task 9.1 Identification of invasive species (Alterra). Background: Since 1946, Alterra runs a nation-wide network of volunteers for observing insect pests on trees. The data are used for research on climate change. The volunteers are also urged to monitor new invasive insect pests. Objective: A mobile application will be developed to identify insects pests on trees (approximately 270 species), including important new invasive insect species, e.g. Asian longhorn beetles, where fast recognition is important to give the authorities better chances to quickly eliminate the new pest which can easily cause millions of euros of economic damage. The identification of insect species on trees is not that easy for most people and is a challenge and a gap in the current market of apps.

Task 9.2 Counting of species (SOVON, Alterra) Background: SOVON (Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology) is organizing monitoring of wild bird populations in the Netherlands and carries out research to study population demography in bird populations. Results of censuses and research projects are used for nature management policies, management plans en spatial planning. Objective: to stimulate use of mobile devices for biodiversity monitoring and to create a generic data repository to exchange biodiversity data collected by volunteers. As showcase we prepare a generic data entry tool and data exchange repository for bird observations as basis for a paneuropean breeding bird atlas.

Task 9.3 Natura 2000 Hotsport Alert System (Alterra, Wageningen University, IIASA) Background: Global biodiversity is declining, and habitat destruction and degradation are caused mainly by changes in land use (Mücher, 2009; Hansen et al., 2004) Objective: to develop a Natura 2000 hotspot alert system. Time series analysis (Roerink et al., 2003, 2010; Lhermitte et al., 2011; Verbesselt et al. 2010) using e.g. MODIS satellite data (250m resolution) will indicate historical (last 10 years) and (near-real time) locations and gradual or abrupt changes (anomalies). The observatory will provide a service that automatically detects and highlights anomalies in Natura 2000 sites. The mobile application developed as part of pilot study 6 will be adapted for this activity whereby citizens will be asked to characterize these hotspots by taking photos and providing short descriptions.

Task 9.4 Monitoring of biodiversity in tropical rainforests (VU-IVM, SOVON, Alterra) Objectives: To effectively engage indigenous communities in biodiversity monitoring and in return regularly supply them with information about the state and dynamics of the broader ecosystem they are in. Approach: The research would be empirical and participatory, focusing on the conditions for effective community monitoring. Specific attention will be paid to local capacity for biodiversity monitoring, community cooperation and the type of information locally required to better understand the factors driving biodiversity depletion and ecosystem change.

Outstanding Work Since 1946, Alterra runs a nation-wide network of volunteers for observing insect pests on trees. Will be working with open standards and aims at platform independent mobile applications (e.g. HTML5) Determinator – a generic DSS for hazard identification of substances or species is available ( Option of 7 different methods of identification (i.e. mobile, desktop): Match, Tree, Browse, Compare, Filter, Select and Search.

Outstanding Work: Mobile applications

Time series analysis & HANTS Expertise on analyses of RS time-series focuses on techniques for cleaning, filtering and information extraction from time-series of RS data. HANTS = Harmonic Analysis of Numerical Time Series HANTS calculates per pixel the annual behaviour of the NDVI by combining different cosine functions In a iterative process erroneous values (clouds, missing pixels) are eliminated The results of the HANTS approach is an amplitude and phase for each sine frequency (average, annual and six-months period) The HANTS results quantify the vegetation dynamics (start/peak/end of growing season) decade 1decade Annual NDVI Images

Hot-spot detection in the Netherlands Average NDVI

Innovative to create a generic data repository to exchange biodiversity data collected by volunteers. To stimulate use of mobile devices for biodiversity monitoring To improve the identification of difficult species groups (e.g. invasive insects) Inform Citizens about anomalies in Natura 2000 sites using EO data Explore the possibilities of crowd sourcing by indigenous communities in tropical rainforests.

Innovative

Thank you for your attention !