Narrowing farmland biodiversity knowledge gaps with Digital Agriculture

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Contributed › peer-review

Contributors

  • Ruben Remelgado - , University of Bonn (Author)
  • Michael Beckmann - , Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (Author)
  • Moudrý Vítězslav - , Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (Author)
  • Elisa Padulosi - , Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (Author)
  • Michela Perrone - , Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Author)
  • Petteri Vihervaara - , Finnish Environment Institute (Author)
  • Christopher Marrs - , Chair of Environmental Remote Sensing (Author)
  • Anette Eltner - , Junior Professorship in Geo Sensor Systems (Author)
  • Duccio Rocchini - , Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, University of Bologna (Author)
  • Anna F. Cord - , University of Bonn (Author)

Abstract

Digital Agriculture – broadly defined as the use of digital technologies and data to manage and optimize agricultural production systems – holds significant but largely untapped potential for biodiversity monitoring. Both fields share many (semi-)automated data collection technologies, analytical methods and workflows, but remain largely disconnected — and are sometimes even perceived as incompatible — in research, education and practice. Here, we explore how existing data streams from Digital Agriculture can directly contribute with primary biodiversity data required by policy-relevant applications, linking them to the Essential Biodiversity Variables framework. We discuss the benefits of this integration, its challenges, and outline pathways for its adoption with respect to ongoing advances in biodiversity science and policy. This integration could improve the precision of biodiversity conservation in farmland, and accelerate transitions to sustainable agriculture – an urgent priority to safeguard nature and its contribution to people.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number10
Journalnpj Sustainable Agriculture
Volume4
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2026
Peer-reviewedYes