The range of different animal and plant species has declined rapidly in recent decades. Satellite operators and conservationists have only begun working together relatively recently to share data and algorithms and track environmental indicators that may be related to changes in biodiversity. These include things like: ecosystem extent and fragmentation, ecosystem composition by functional type, and population abundance (birds, mammals etc). Both direct and indirect indicators of biodiversity can be used.

Like the Essential Climate Variables, there is also a set of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) which allow for biodiversity observations to be compared and contrasted appropriately. Teams of researchers have made assessments of the cooperation and use of Earth observation data for biodiversity, and are working on how to improve it.

The study of the habitat of different animals and plants has revealed how organisms can come under environmental pressure and die out. Invasive, or alien, species can also take over land and force out other indigenous species .

Large-scale migrations can be tracked from space, as well as habitats for large groups of animals. For example, penguin colonies in Antarctica can be identified on the ice through their droppings, which change the colour of the ice; the effects of artificial lighting on turtle nesting has also been monitored using data from space.

(This topic is in two video parts - the video on the next step provides additional information about the use of satellite data to track pressures and threats to biodiversity).

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