The NASA Earth Science Division (ESD) seeks proposals that advance the science and apply the principle of scaling satellite remote sensing products in the context of biological diversity and ecological conservation. Proposals should address one of two subelements, but not both in a single proposal.
Research proposals (Section 4.1) will answer questions such as the following. How do we practically integrate observations from different platforms observing at different spatial extents and grain sizes to address biodiversity questions? How can satellite remote sensing further theoretical understanding of how life scales spatially? These proposals require: • NASA Earth observations (Section 5.1) and in-situ biological observations (Section 5.2), both of which must be essential to the proposed activity.
This is a joint solicitation seeking proposals to two different NASA Earth Science Division programs: Biological Diversity and Ecological Conservation. While these are different programs, each faces challenges, albeit not precisely the same challenges, addressing the broad issue of scale and scaling. NASA’s new Earth Science to Action Strategy seeks to strengthen connections between its basic research and applications activities, with each directly informing and complementing the other. This joint solicitation promotes an end-to-end Earth Science to Action approach to the issue of scale, including technological, biological, and programmatic elements of scale and scaling.
The NASA Biological Diversity Program focuses on understanding the composition of life on Earth and how it changes over time. This includes documenting and identifying factors that determine the distribution, abundance, movement, demographics, physical or genetic characteristics, behavior, and/or physiology of organisms on Earth. The program supports the development of remote sensing tools, techniques, and associated models that enable this understanding. The program also seeks to increase knowledge of how biodiversity drives the wider Earth System.
The NASA Ecological Conservation Application Area (formerly Ecological Forecasting) promotes the synergistic use of Earth observations, in-situ observations, and models to analyze and forecast changes that affect ecosystems and to develop effective management strategies. Target end user communities are natural resource managers (terrestrial, marine, and freshwater) and, in particular, those involved in conservation and ecosystem management. The Ecological Conservation Application Area supports the development, improvement, and application of predictive tools - with associated uncertainties - for assessing alternative approaches and designing effective decision support strategies. The Ecological Conservation Application Area applies current scientific understanding and modeling capabilities to determine how ecosystems and their components (e.g., species and genes) are changing/likely to change over time and supports organizations’ applying that knowledge and information in decision making.
Deadlines:
- Notice of Intent: May 13, 2024
- Proposal: June 13, 2024