Catalina Munteanu, Benjamin M Kraemer, Henry H Hansen, Sofia Miguel, E J Milner-Gulland, Mihai Nita, Igor Ogashawara, Volker C Radeloff, Simone Roverelli, Oleksandra O Shumilova, Ilse Storch, Tobias Kuemmerle
Remote sensing data are important for assessing ecological change, but their value is often restricted by their limited temporal coverage. Major historical events that affected the environment, such as those associated with colonial history, World War II, or the Green Revolution are not captured by modern remote sensing. In the present article, we highlight the potential of globally available black-and-white satellite photographs to expand ecological and conservation assessments back to the 1960s and to illuminate ecological concepts such as shifting baselines, time-lag responses, and legacy effects...
March 2024: Bioscience