Amphibians and reptiles are highly threatened, and populations present severe declines worldwide. As they play a significant role in ecosystem functioning, they serve as crucial bioindicators of environmental change. GIS and remote sensing (RS) technologies have become increasingly valuable tools in herpetological studies. They have provided spatially explicit data on their distribution, habitat use, and population dynamics, and informed conservation decisions. Additionally, GIS and RS tools are known to open new lines of research for amphibians and reptiles due to their thermal dependencies and high vulnerability to climate change, providing potential information for habitat management and predicting the range of distribution for vulnerable species. This Research Topic aims to become a platform for researchers to share new methodologies, improved research, new species models, and advances in GIS and remote sensing applications to herpetological research.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to highlight the importance of GIS and RS tools in advancing our understanding of amphibian and reptile ecology and conservation. Specifically, it addresses the following questions: How are GIS and RS tools helping solve major ecological challenges for amphibian and reptile populations and their habitat? What are the recent advances in applying these GIS techniques and RS technologies in herpetological research? What are the advantages and limitations of using these technologies in this field, and how can they be overcome?
We welcome contributions on a wide range of topics related to GIS and RS applications, including (but not limited to):
- Spatial analysis of amphibian and reptile distribution, habitat use, and movement patterns;
- Development and application of models to predict species occurrence, habitat suitability, and population trends;
- Use of satellite imagery, LiDAR, and other technologies;
- Integration of multiple data sources (e.g. GIS, RS, genetics, telemetry, WebGIS);
- Applications of GIS and RS in amphibian and reptile conservation, management, and habitat restoration;
- Methodological advances in the use of GIS and RS for studying amphibian and reptile ecology.
We encourage contributions based on empirical studies that demonstrate the practical applications of GIS and RS to address research questions. Manuscripts that provide novel insights, methodological advances, or new approaches to these technologies are particularly welcome. We also welcome the use of open-source software and data submissions, as this promotes transparency, reproducibility, and accessibility of research. Manuscripts that describe the use of open-source software and data or provide code and data repositories will provide a positive contribution. Overall, this Research Topic aims to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among herpetologists that use GIS and RS.
Keywords:
GIS, Remote Sensing, Spatial Ecology, LiDAR, Amphibians, Reptiles, Conservation
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Amphibians and reptiles are highly threatened, and populations present severe declines worldwide. As they play a significant role in ecosystem functioning, they serve as crucial bioindicators of environmental change. GIS and remote sensing (RS) technologies have become increasingly valuable tools in herpetological studies. They have provided spatially explicit data on their distribution, habitat use, and population dynamics, and informed conservation decisions. Additionally, GIS and RS tools are known to open new lines of research for amphibians and reptiles due to their thermal dependencies and high vulnerability to climate change, providing potential information for habitat management and predicting the range of distribution for vulnerable species. This Research Topic aims to become a platform for researchers to share new methodologies, improved research, new species models, and advances in GIS and remote sensing applications to herpetological research.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to highlight the importance of GIS and RS tools in advancing our understanding of amphibian and reptile ecology and conservation. Specifically, it addresses the following questions: How are GIS and RS tools helping solve major ecological challenges for amphibian and reptile populations and their habitat? What are the recent advances in applying these GIS techniques and RS technologies in herpetological research? What are the advantages and limitations of using these technologies in this field, and how can they be overcome?
We welcome contributions on a wide range of topics related to GIS and RS applications, including (but not limited to):
- Spatial analysis of amphibian and reptile distribution, habitat use, and movement patterns;
- Development and application of models to predict species occurrence, habitat suitability, and population trends;
- Use of satellite imagery, LiDAR, and other technologies;
- Integration of multiple data sources (e.g. GIS, RS, genetics, telemetry, WebGIS);
- Applications of GIS and RS in amphibian and reptile conservation, management, and habitat restoration;
- Methodological advances in the use of GIS and RS for studying amphibian and reptile ecology.
We encourage contributions based on empirical studies that demonstrate the practical applications of GIS and RS to address research questions. Manuscripts that provide novel insights, methodological advances, or new approaches to these technologies are particularly welcome. We also welcome the use of open-source software and data submissions, as this promotes transparency, reproducibility, and accessibility of research. Manuscripts that describe the use of open-source software and data or provide code and data repositories will provide a positive contribution. Overall, this Research Topic aims to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among herpetologists that use GIS and RS.
Keywords:
GIS, Remote Sensing, Spatial Ecology, LiDAR, Amphibians, Reptiles, Conservation
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.