Opportunities for the application of advanced remotely-sensed data in ecological studies of terrestrial animal movement

Table 1 Source and resolution of different remote sensing products

Sensor and satellite	Spatial resolution [m]	Temporal resolution [days]	Swath [km]	Operational since	Link
MODIS (Terra, Aqua)	250, 500, 1000	1-2	2.330	1999 (Terra), 2002 (Aqua)	http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/design.php
AVHRR***	1100	<1	2.600	1981	http://noaasis.noaa.gov/
VIIRS (Suomi NPP)	750	1-2	3.000	2011	http://npp.gsfc.nasa.gov/
ASTER (Terra)	15, 30, 90	16	60	1999	http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/
ETM+ (Landsat 7)	15, 30, 60	16	183	1999**	http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov
TM (Landsat 5)	30, 120	16	185	1984*	http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov
Vegetation 1 (SPOT 4)	10, 20	2-3	60	1998	http://www.astrium-geo.com
Vegetation 2 (SPOT 5)	5, 10, 20	2-3	60	2002	http://www.astrium-geo.com
Spot 6	1.5, 6	2	60	2012	http://www.astrium-geo.com
RapidEye satellites	5	5	25	2008	http://www.rapideye.com
IKONOS	0.8, 3.2	3	11	1999	https://www.digitalglobe.com
GeoEye-1	0.4, 1.7	3	15	2008	https://www.digitalglobe.com
QuickBird	0.6, 2.4	3	18	2001	http://www.digitalglobe.com
Worldview 1	0.5	2	18	2007	http://www.digitalglobe.com
Worldview 2	0.5	1	18	2009	http://www.digitalglobe.com

* The very first Landsat launch was in 1972, but is not longer in service. **due to an instrument failure all scenes after May 2003 have data gaps; ***different NOAA satellites. 1978 was a first attempt for AVHRR on a different satellite, which was improved and replaced in 1981 by the AVHRR sensor or the NOAA satellite. Additional missions are planned for 2013–2014, such as Landsat DCM (continuing the Landsat program with pixels sizes of 15, 30, and 100 m), Spot 7 (which combined with Spot 6 will provide satellite imagery at a temporal resolution of 1 day), and Worldview 3, with pixel sizes of 0.3 m and 1.2 m. LiDAR remote sensing data used in research applications are typically acquired from airborne systems, rather than from satellites as those described above. The LiDAR acquisitions specifications, such as laser pulse density and area cover, thus are flexible and depend on the objectives of the particular study. Detailed information about LiDAR data and specifications used in natural resource management are described in [122] and [123]. Aerial photos captured with drones have typically a high spatial resolution (e.g. <10 cm) and they cover small areas (~15-25 km; see [112] for an example of an inexpensive drone designed to monitor forests and biodiversity.

ISSN: 2051-3933