Satellite Remote Sensing of Ecosystem Functions: Opportunities and Challenges for Reporting Obligations of the EU Habitat Directive

The Habitats Directive (HD) and the associated Natura 2000 Network represent the major commitment of the European Union to biodiversity conservation. They are aimed at maintaining natural habitats in a favourable conservation status, which is assessed every 6 years by the member states under the legal obligation derived from HD Articles 11 and 17. Such assessment relies on habitats compositional and structural attributes, but should also consider ecosystem functions. Monitoring such functions represents an opportunity to incorporate Remote Sensing (RS) into the real-world biodiversity monitoring efforts. Here, we introduce a set of prospects and issues connected with RS aided monitoring of ecosystem functions and services within the framework of the reporting obligations of HD.