About Phytodiverse

Responding to the urgent need for ocean health indicators by exploiting novel hyperspectral satellite datasets and advancing algorithms to quantify phytoplankton community changes.

The Challenge

Phytoplankton form the basis of almost all life in the ocean through their production of organic carbon via photosynthesis. Their biological diversity strongly influences ocean trophic web structure and marine biodiversity distribution. With the advent of hyperspectral satellites, we now have unprecedented capabilities to characterize this diversity from space.

However, developing new algorithms requires abundant in-situ datasets and cannot be accomplished by space agencies alone. This is where PhytoDiverse bridges the gap; aligning with EC-funded projects to advance phytoplankton diversity science and create actionable biodiversity indicators.

Our Approach

Phytodiverse employs a comprehensive four-pillar methodology to transform satellite observations into policy-relevant indicators:

01

Primary Observations

Combining data from ESA Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 satellites with hyperspectral PACE data to produce spatially enhanced Remote Sensing Reflectance products. Existing ESA datasets (OC-CCI) provide essential baselines for analysis.

02

Biodiversity Models

Advancing phytoplankton diversity as an Essential Ocean Variable through community composition algorithms that exploit hyperspectral capabilities, combined with bespoke niche-based Species Distribution Models.

03

Essential Biodiversity Variables

Delivering datasets of community composition and ecosystem function based on algorithmic advances, investigating functional traits from pigments and cell size, and ecosystem phenology patterns.

04

Change Indicators

Computing temporal and spatial change indicators from our products, providing critical information for science cases and integration with global biodiversity monitoring frameworks.

Key Innovations

Hyperspectral Data Fusion

Phytodiverse develops innovative techniques to combine multispectral ESA satellite data with hyperspectral observations, achieving enhanced spatial resolution while maintaining spectral fidelity essential for diversity assessment.

Functional Trait Analysis

Our algorithms investigate phytoplankton community diversity from functional traits based on pigment composition and cell size, enabling more nuanced understanding of ecosystem function beyond traditional chlorophyll measurements.

Uncertainty Quantification

Rigorous validation through comparisons with in-situ data, different satellite products, and model outputs ensures reliable uncertainty estimates for all derived products and indicators.

Science Case Studies

Three distinct science cases utilise Phytodiverse products and indicators across different marine environments, investigating phytoplankton diversity succession within and around blooms: 

Open Ocean

NE Atlantic Study

Examining long-term changes in plankton community structure and ecosystem function, this case study provides insights into climate-driven processes affecting open ocean biodiversity.

Integration with ongoing EC projects enables comprehensive temporal analysis of community shifts and their ecological implications.

Coastal

Northern Adriatic Study

Focusing on phytoplankton bloom diversity in dynamic coastal waters, this study investigates how environmental variability drives community composition changes.

Enhanced spatial resolution from data fusion proves particularly valuable in heterogeneous coastal environments.

Polar

Arctic Study

Investigating phytoplankton diversity in rapidly changing Arctic waters, this case study tracks how warming affects polar marine ecosystems.

Critical for understanding climate change impacts on high-latitude biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Towards Policy Integration

Through this comprehensive approach, Phytodiverse connects various satellite products in a workflow toward meaningful indicators. Knowledge gained from science cases informs a roadmap for future EC-ESA project collaboration, acknowledging both limitations and opportunities.

The project forms the basis for a new European area of collaboration in Ocean Health and Biodiversity, designed for integration with upcoming European and global monitoring systems. By advancing algorithms adapted to novel hyperspectral datasets, we quantify changes in phytoplankton communities and investigate their connections to climate-driven processes both gradual and extreme to inform policy at the global scale.

Looking Forward

Phytodiverse represents a critical step toward operational monitoring of ocean biodiversity from space. By combining cutting-edge satellite technology with robust validation and innovative algorithms, we build connections with ongoing EC projects to guide the next steps in monitoring, understanding, and preparing for plankton changes at the global scale.

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