Genes from space: Leveraging Earth Observation satellites to monitor genetic diversity

Genetic diversity within and among populations is essential for species persistence. While targets and indicators for genetic diversity are captured in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, assessing genetic diversity across many species at national and regional scales remains challenging. Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) need accessible tools for reliable and efficient monitoring at relevant scales. Here, we describe how Earth Observation satellites (EO) make essential contributions to enable, accelerate, and improve genetic diversity monitoring and preservation. Specifically, we introduce a workflow integrating EO into existing genetic diversity monitoring strategies and present a set of examples where EO data is or can be integrated to improve assessment, monitoring, and conservation. We describe how available EO data can be integrated in innovative ways to support calculation of the genetic diversity indicators of the GBF monitoring framework and to inform management and monitoring decisions, especially in areas with limited research infrastructure or access. We also describe novel, integrative approaches to improve the indicators that can be implemented with the coming generation of EO data, and new capabilities that will provide unprecedented detail to characterize the changes to Earth’s surface and their implications for biodiversity, on a global scale.