Drones help scientists check the health of Antarctic mosses, revealing climate change clues
Mosses are sensitive to even minor changes in their living conditions, and scientists traditionally tramped through difficult terrain to collect data on them.
Mosses are sensitive to even minor changes in their living conditions. Sharon Robinson, Author provided
Using the specially designed drones is faster, kinder to the environment and delivers detailed images that satellite imagery cannot match.
Drones also allow mapping of much larger areas than previously possible, showing how the moss health responds to meltwater in real time.
These methods could be used for similar research in other harsh environments like desert or alpine regions.
About the author
Zbynek Malenovský is a researcher in remote sensing of vegetation, University of Tasmania. Arko Lucieer is an associate professor in remote sensing, University of Tasmania.