NASA Utilizes Aircraft for Unique Biodiversity Research Project in Greater Cape Floristic Region

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched two aircraft, the Gulfstream 3 and Gulfstream 5, on Tuesday as part of a distinctive biodiversity research project based in South Africa's Greater Cape Floristic Region. The craft will conduct a series of scientific data collection expeditions throughout various key areas until the end of the year.

Appointed as the South African lead scientist for the BioSCape project, Dr. Jasper Slingsby, a lecturer at the University of Cape Town's biological sciences department, announced that the planes will employ four different instruments to collect comprehensive data. The variance of information gathered in terms of size, scope, and fine detail will form a unique dataset for this type of project.

The BioSCape project was officially launched on October 17 and will amalgamate data from NASA research planes, satellite imagery, and ground observations. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the biodiversity residing in the Greater Cape Floristic Region and how it benefits the population.

The project will employ ground-based programs that include animal counts, the collection of DNA samples, vegetation surveys, ocean phytoplankton analysis, and the recording of bird and frog calls. Additionally, the project will utilize Landsat images taken over multiple decades to track changes on the earth's surface.

In an issued press release from the National Research Foundation, Slingsby expressed the significance of the data ingrained in developing effective biodiversity and conservation management strategies. He touted the BioSCape project as an innovative endeavor that would facilitate mapping and monitoring biodiversity of a highly diverse region.

Dr. Mary-Jane Bopape, the managing director of the South African Environmental Observation Network under the National Research Foundation, commended South Africa's pioneering biodiversity research endeavors and expressed a commitment to data collection and utilization.

The BioSCape project sees a collaboration of nearly 50 institutional partners, including leading South African and US universities, like Columbia University. Over 150 scientists are set to contribute across 19 research projects listed on the BioSCape website. The South African National Space Agency (Sansa) will also play an instrumental role in the project.