Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Large-scale monitoring networks employing remote sensors have harnessed big data to evaluate conservation efforts on a global scale. While dryland ecosystems are anticipated to expand, and management activities like rewilding and habitat restoration are increasing, the use of data streams and modern analytical methods to plan conservation interventions and quantify their effectiveness remains limited. We recommend establishing a global network for dryland practitioners to bridge critical data gaps, providing two real-world examples. A pilot study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shows how coordinated use of multiple remote sensors and a standardised data pipeline could improve interoperability and facilitate the use of more accurate ecological models. Likewise, the Wildlife Observatory of Australia demonstrates that robust metadata and shared analytical frameworks enable the effective integration of diverse datasets using hierarchical occupancy models. Key steps to build this network include forming a steering committee, engaging stakeholders from various backgrounds, piloting projects in different regions, agreeing on protocols and exploring seed funding opportunities.
Source: npj Biodiversity
Institutions: Zoological Society of London, Universidade do Porto, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Cheetah Conservation Fund, University of Brighton, University of Kent, The University of Queensland, QCIF Ltd., Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, University of Castilla-La Mancha, University of Cumbria
Language: English
Subfield: Geology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,050
OpenAlex ID: W7161245663