The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is collaborating with the University of Cape Town (UCT) to conduct a first-of-its-kind biodiversity field campaign in the Western Cape by sending two modified jets to Cape Town.
The NASA-funded project, named BioSCape, will run through 2024 and is aimed at enhancing scientists’ comprehension of the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) including surrounding coastal and marine environments, with a key focus on understanding and conserving biodiversity research.
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BioSCape will integrate satellite and aerial data alongside on-site observations, facilitating a global community of scientists to gain a more profound insight into the region’s rich biodiversity.
This collaborative campaign will see scientists from the United States and South Africa working closely together to map marine, freshwater and terrestrial species and ecosystems within the region.
A NASA Gulfstream III and possibly a Gulfstream V will arrive in Cape Town this week to support the BioSCape project. These aircraft will spend four to six weeks collecting ultraviolet, visual and thermal imagery. Vegetation height and structure will be measured using LiDAR technology.
The project will also make use of satellites and ground teams to observe and log plant and animal life, enabling the mapping of biodiversity, species distribution, ecosystem boundaries and an understanding of ecosystem structure and composition.
Dr Jasper Slingsby, a prominent South African scientist and a faculty member at UCT, explained that BioSCape has the potential to unveil fresh perspectives on the rich biodiversity in one of the world’s most diverse areas.
He added that the project will provide pioneering resources for the purpose of charting and supervising this biodiversity. The data collected will be pivotal in bolstering efficient strategies for conserving and overseeing the region’s many ecosystems. ‘BioSCape will also help us to better understand the impacts of climate change on biodiversity,’ he said.
The flights are timed for late October to November to account for the region’s weather and coincide with the flowering of fynbos plants. The project involves collaboration with various South African research and conservation partners, including NRF, SAEON, SANBI, SANSA, SANParks and CapeNature.
SAEON managing director Dr Mary-Jane Bopape said the project was a sign of the world-class biodiversity research being carried out in South Africa.
‘We are committed to contributing to data collection and using the information generated by BioSCape to inform environmental management decisions in the region,’ Dr Bopape affirmed.
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Picture: SANParks / Facebook