Evaluating and monitoring habitat loss using satellite remote sensing imagery

Abstract

Habitat loss is widely acknowledged as the leading cause of extinctions and is occurring at an alarming rate and affecting biodiversity globally. I measured the rate of habitat loss using satellite-based land cover change data. First, I modelled the potential suitable habitat of the Marbled Murrelet on Vancouver Island using two techniques and compared those results to in-situ field measurements. Both modelling techniques predicted declines in suitable habitat between the years, although one technique was better at predicting suitable habitat. I also compared rates of habitat loss in areas of high species endangerment to those with lower endangerment over a 15-year period in three Canadian ecozones. In two ecozones, rates of habitat loss were higher in sites of high species at risk richness than those with low richness. These results underscore the importance of using remote sensing data as a monitoring tool critical habitat for species at risk in Canada.