Predicting global biodiversity dynamics with animal sensors

Background/Question/Methods

Novel biological and environmental observing technologies, and the unprecedented flows of ´Big data´ they provide, are poised to transform our ability to document and understand the process and dynamics of biological patterns globally. New GPS tracking technologies in particular have the potential to deliver data on fine-scale animal movement data at near-global extent.



Results/Conclusions

We envision a global network of animal sentinels of environmental change. We discuss the technologies and informatics solutions that can support such a vision and highlight select case studies that demonstrate this potential. Linked with remotely sensed environmental and onboard sensor data, animal GPS tracking offers a biological lens on species responses to rapidly changing world and can inform about habitat integrity and connectivity.