Engage with BioSCape
Check out data from previous NASA airborne projects
This will help you get an idea of the kinds of airborne data products you can expect from BioSCape.
AVIRIS-NG data from other projects
PRISM data from other projects
Start working with EMIT, ECOSTRESS, and GEDI data
Download data from NASA's EMIT, ECOSTRESS, or GEDI sensors over the BioSCape study region.
EMIT and ECOSTRESS are imaging spectrometers aboard the International Space Station that collects data similar to the BioSCape imaging spectrometers. Learn more at the EMIT or ECOSTRESS webpages. GEDI is a lidar instrument that collected data similar to the LVIS instrument in BioSCape.
Training resources on how to use these data are available- for example you can learn how to Apply ECOSTRESS and EMIT to Ecological Problems or access the EMIT Workshop Website (both include python notebooks!).
Complete our online Training Course
The ARSET training series Biodiversity Applications for Airborne Imaging Systems is freely available to watch online. The course highlighted the use of hyperspectral Visible to Shortwave Infrared (VSWIR) imaging spectroscopy data, for example from AVIRIS-NG and PRISM instruments, for measuring and monitoring terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity (e.g., mapping plant or phytoplankton functional types). The series also focused on using thermal and lidar data for characterizing the structure and function of ecosystems using airborne campaigns including the Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (HyTES) and NASA's Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS).
Review material from our Spectroscopy Workshop
You can watch a recording of the introductory lectures, and slides are available for additional content about i) Foliar Trait Modeling, ii) Field Spectroscopy Best Practices, and iii) Aquatic Field Spectroscopy. This workshop was supported by UNESCO.
Inspect BioSCape's airborne data coverage
The BioSCape data portal currently holds all quicklooks from the project - this shows you where data was collected. Toggle layers on and off in the left hand panel to view acquisitions from different sensors, and zoom in and out to see if your region of interest was flown.
Enroll for Short Courses at Stellenbosch University
The Centre for Geographical Analysis runs three great courses - Introduction to GIS, Introduction to Earth Observation, and Advanced Earth Observation.
Contribute to iNaturalist
If you are in the 'BioSCape domain' in South Africa, you can help by making observations that are broadly useful to BioSCape on iNaturalist, a citizen science platform. We will use these observations in research to assess spatial variability in species richness across the Greater Cape Floristic Region.
Access other South African biodiversity data
The South African national biodiversity Institute (SANBI) has an excellent GIS database with interactive mapping, biodiversity data, training, and legislation.
Past Activities
The Great Southern Bioblitz 2023 was an opportunity for all Southern Hemisphere countries to record organisms during spring and showcase our beautiful biodiversity to the world. The event is run by a grassroots network of keen citizen scientists from across the globe.
In a collaborative effort, NRF-SAEON, NRF-SAASTA, CTSC, GLOBE, and BioSCape hosted 170 students from 10 high schools in the Western Cape (6 from townships) to learn several data collection methods related to BioSCape. The group collected 30 Sea Surface Temperature measurements and ~20 cloud measurements. We also had 16 participants in our Train the Trainer session where the group collected an additional ~60 Biometry measurements (Tree Height, Tree Circumference, Land Cover) and ~30 Cloud GLOBE measurements.
BioSCape had our last Science Team Meeting online in June 2023.
BioSCape had a Science Applications Workshop in person in Cape Town in 2023. This workshop discussed the specific needs of practitioners (data users and decision-makers) to enhance the real-world application of data products and scientific results from BioSCape. The workshop report can be found here.
BioSCape had a fantastic presence at NASA's 2023 Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems (CC&E) Joint Science Workshop. This workshop takes research capability built from CC&E and develops it into decision making capability for conservation agents and land managers. The 2023 workshop included a half day of sessions related to the BioSCape project.
In December 2021 BioSCape had an online Parachute Science Workshop. This workshop overviewed challenges and outlined pivotal steps in preventing parachute science with a focus on projects related to remote sensing of the environment and biodiversity.
In June 2021 BioSCape had an online Networking Workshop. This introductory workshop covered developments within the initial phases of BioSCape. It included presentations by the project PIs, NASA, NSF, the University of Cape Town, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), South Africa National Parks, and CapeNature provincial Parks.
BioSCape data was collected under the appropriate permits and permissions from governmental and other agencies.