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HiRAD

Harmonizing and integrating Radar-based approaches for monitoring Aerial bioDiversity

HiRAD is a BioDivERsa funded research project that has emerged from the prior bioDivERsa-funded research project GloBAM. Within HiRAD, we improve the access, harmonization, visualization, and integration of biological data from small-scale and weather radars across Europe. Using harminozed radar products, we will demonstrate the value of radar data in monitoring aerial biodiversity (specifically the interaction of birds and insects with biotic and abiotic factors) and create radar-based tools for various stakeholders.

Bereich Forschung
Ressort Bird Migration
Thema Ecology, Migratory Birds
Lebensraum alpine habitats, farmland, forest, meadows and pastures, rivers & streams, rocky terrain, semi-open farmland, settlements, wasteland, wetlands
Projektstart 2018
Projektende 2027
Projektstatus laufend
Projektleitung Birgen Haest
Projektregion America, Europe

Details

Projektziele

In HiRAD, we will improve access, harmonization, visualization, and integration of biological data from small-scale and weather radars across Europe.

Vorgehen

HiRAD will:

  1. Provide access to biological data products derived from radar data across Europe (WP1)
  2. Develop and improve tools for the visualization, exploration and analysis of radar data (WP2)
  3. Harmonize data from different radar systems (WP3)
  4. Demonstrate their capacity for biodiversity monitoring of birds and insects (WP4)
  5. Provide data products and tools for stakeholders (WP5)

Bedeutung

Trillions of birds and insects use the airspace for key activities of their life cycle, such as daily foraging movements and seasonal migrations. Their movements link otherwise separated ecosystems, raise human-wildlife conflicts, and provide services and disservices that are relevant to human agriculture, economy, and health. Remote sensing technologies such as radar can provide detailed information on aerial biodiversity, including the intensity, timing, altitude, and spatial scale of mass movements, for the full range of taxa and all individuals passing through the sensor’s measurement range. The greatest challenges for establishing weather- and small-scale radars as a standardized monitoring system of the airspace are the currently scattered distribution of radar data, biodiversity data products and software tools and the diverse formats of radar data and biodiversity products. In HiRAD, we will address these challenges, demonstrate the value of radar data in monitoring aerial biodiversity.

Projektpartner

Financial support

  • Biodiversa
  • Swiss National Science Foundation

Publications

Employees

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Unit

Bird Migration

We research migratory birds from their breeding grounds to Africa and lay the foundations for their protection beyond national borders.

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