Marine Habitat Suitability Indicators
EO Capability Benefits
Monitoring marine habitats through Earth Observation (EO) technologies is fundamental for assessing the condition and dynamics of coastal and marine ecosystems. Environmental indicators such as the Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) and Seafloor Integrity Score (SIS) provide consistent and repeatable measures of habitat status, based on observed physical and biological parameters.
EO enables large-scale habitat monitoring by providing high-frequency, spatially extensive data that complements traditional in situ surveys. Using satellite sensors, it is possible to capture key environmental variables that influence marine habitats, offering a synoptic view of ecosystem conditions across broad areas and over extended periods. This in turn supports the identification of habitat trends, anomalies, and variability.
EO Capability Description
EO-derived habitat models are built from satellite data, in situ measurements, and predictive environmental layers. HSI and SIS are computed by integrating remotely sensed parameters such as water surface temperature, salinity, turbidity, chlorophyll-a concentration, ocean colour, and bathymetry data.
The Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) evaluates the favourability of environmental conditions for key species or habitat types, while the Seafloor Integrity Score (SIS) assesses the structural condition and ecological function of benthic habitats. Changes in these indicators can signal habitat degradation, shifts in species distributions, or pressures from human activities such as fishing, dredging, or coastal development. Tracking habitat indicators over time helps identify vulnerable areas, assess the impacts of climate change, and inform restoration and protection strategies.
Satellite sensors contributing to habitat monitoring include optical sensors (e.g., Sentinel-2) for detecting water clarity, benthic features in shallow waters, and chlorophyll concentrations, radar (e.g., Sentinel-1) for monitoring surface roughness and seabed morphology under certain conditions, thermal infrared for measuring sea surface temperature, and altimeters and oceanographic missions for sea level, wave, and current information, indirectly supporting habitat characterisation.
EO platforms provide regular observations that inform habitat models and allow for the continuous updating of marine habitat indicators. Data is processed to produce spatially explicit habitat maps and integrity assessments across open and coastal waters. These outputs are based on defined marine zones, delineated according to ecological, management, or conservation boundaries. Within each zone, habitat suitability and integrity values are calculated, creating time series that capture spatial patterns and temporal trends in habitat condition.