NASA funding powers Montana State research into global biodiversity

Assistant professor Anna Schweiger recently received NASA funding to refine and evaluate the models used for tracking biodiversity on a global scale. MSU photo by Colter Peterson.

BOZEMAN – Thanks to new funding from NASA, an assistant professor at Montana State University will spend the next three years using data collected from space to help in mapping global biodiversity and charting a course for environmental endeavors across ecosystems, including agricultural systems. 

Anna Schweiger, who joined the faculty in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences in August, received a grant of roughly $700,000 through NASA’s ROSES program, which stands for Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences. With the funding, Schweiger will analyze data collected by a sensor on the International Space Station in preparation for the launch of a new satellite dedicated to collecting such data through a process called spectroscopy.

“Spectroscopy is an old science,” said Schweiger. “In the 1920s, botanists were working with plants to show that leaf reflectance changes as leaves age. An old leaf is chemically and structurally different than a younger leaf. Spectroscopy got a push during the age of space exploration, so spectrometers are now used to estimate the chemical composition of stars and of other planets, and at the same time, NASA is really interested in using that technology to also look at our own planet.”

Spectroscopy is a type of remote sensing that measures the amount of light reflected by various elements, including plants and bodies of water. It can be done at nearly any resolution imaginable, from a sensor focused on a single plant leaf to equipment on a satellite measuring ocean reflectance. Much of Schweiger’s career has been dedicated to bridging the gaps between those spatial resolutions to develop a clearer image of biodiversity across scales.

Sometimes, Schweiger said, variations in that reflected light can help chart subtle changes in plant traits, such as their phosphorus or magnesium content. It can also help scientists map the distributions and health of plants and animals across their ecosystems and examine how those distributions change over time.

During her graduate and postdoctoral studies, part of Schweiger’s exploration involved collecting plant reflectance data at many different scales. She started with individual leaves, then collected data using cameras and rigging about 10 feet off the ground, and finally culminated with airborne data collection. The NASA funding, she said, will allow for even further exploration that will greatly improve scientific knowledge of global biodiversity.

“NASA recognized the need for sensors that are able to monitor our ecosystems, see how they are doing and measure how biodiversity is distributed,” Schweiger said.

In 2018, NASA debuted a project focused on the Surface Biology and Geology Designated Observable, or SBG, to gain further knowledge of Earth from space with a particular focus on vegetation, ecosystem diversity and change over time. Led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the project will ultimately lead to a satellite-mounted spectrometer that will be able to gather unprecedented amounts of information about ecosystems worldwide, said Schweiger.

“It has been a very, very long effort to get this investment in this sensor approved,” she said. “People have invested their whole careers to get this thing off the ground. It’s a really big deal, and I’m only a piece in the puzzle.”

Thanks to data collected by a spectrometer aboard the International Space Station called EMIT, which was launched in 2022, she has some global data to work with until SBG is spaceborne and operational, which Schweiger said is estimated to be by 2030. By blending EMIT data with higher-resolution metrics collected by the National Science Foundation’s National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Schweiger will aim to see how far biodiversity can be assessed when remote sensing data is collected at different levels. She will also work with scientists across the country in setting metrics and goals for ecosystems in need of protection or restoration.

“There are many efforts going on globally to protect ecosystems and improve their health; however, these initiatives need measurable outcomes,” she said. “They need to be able to see how they’re doing, if they’re moving in the right direction. A spaceborne biodiversity estimate can certainly help with that, and also help us shed light on areas of the globe where changes are happening fast but we might miss them.”

The new funding will allow for extensive student research opportunities at MSU, she said, from the undergraduate to postdoctoral level. Schweiger called developing metrics for a spaceborne biodiversity observatory a task that needs “all hands on deck.” With a nationwide team of scientists at work, she called it an ideal vehicle for involving students in important and applicable science.

“I’m hoping to increase training at MSU on using spectral data to answer biodiversity and ecosystem function-related questions, and to get our bright minds here really excited about this,” she said. “There’s so much talent here at MSU, and our students want to use their talent in meaningful ways. In my opinion, this is a very good use of your brain and your time.”