In a rapidly changing world, there is an ever-increasing need to monitor the Earth’s resources and manage it sustainably for future generations. Earth observation from satellites is critical to provide information required for informed and timely decision making in this regard. Satellite-based earth observation has advanced rapidly over the last 50 years, and there is a plethora of satellite sensors imaging the Earth at finer spatial and spectral resolutions as well as high temporal resolutions. The amount of data available for any single location on the Earth is now at the petabyte-scale. An ever-increasing capacity and computing power is needed to handle such large datasets. The Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud-based computing platform that was established by Google to support such data processing. This facility allows for the storage, processing and analysis of spatial data using centralized high-power computing resources, allowing scientists, researchers, hobbyists and anyone else interested in such fields to mine this data and understand the changes occurring on the Earth’s surface. This book presents research that applies the Google Earth Engine in mining, storing, retrieving and processing spatial data for a variety of applications that include vegetation monitoring, cropland mapping, ecosystem assessment, and gross primary productivity, among others. Datasets used range from coarse spatial resolution data, such as MODIS, to medium resolution datasets (Worldview -2), and the studies cover the entire globe at varying spatial and temporal scales.

In a rapidly changing world, there is an ever-increasing need to monitor the Earth’s resources and manage it sustainably for future generations. Earth observation from satellites is critical to provide information required for informed and timely decision making in this regard. Satellite-based earth observation has advanced rapidly over the last 50 years, and there is a plethora of satellite sensors imaging the Earth at finer spatial and spectral resolutions as well as high temporal resolutions. The amount of data available for any single location on the Earth is now at the petabyte-scale. An ever-increasing capacity and computing power is needed to handle such large datasets. The Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud-based computing platform that was established by Google to support such data processing. This facility allows for the storage, processing and analysis of spatial data using centralized high-power computing resources, allowing scientists, researchers, hobbyists and anyone else interested in such fields to mine this data and understand the changes occurring on the Earth’s surface. This book presents research that applies the Google Earth Engine in mining, storing, retrieving and processing spatial data for a variety of applications that include vegetation monitoring, cropland mapping, ecosystem assessment, and gross primary productivity, among others. Datasets used range from coarse spatial resolution data, such as MODIS, to medium resolution datasets (Worldview -2), and the studies cover the entire globe at varying spatial and temporal scales.

This book guides its audience—which can range from novice users to experts— though a 55-chapter tour of Google Earth Engine. A sequenced and diverse set of lab materials, this is the product of more than a year of effort from more than a hundred individuals, collecting new exercises from professors, undergraduates, master’s students, PhD students, postdocs, and independent consultants. Cloud Based Remote Sensing with Google Earth Engine is broadly organized into two halves. The first half, Fundamentals, is a set of 31 labs designed to take the reader from being a complete Earth Engine novice to being a quite advanced user. The second half, Applications, presents a tour of the world of Earth Engine across 24 chapters, showing how it is used in a very wide variety of settings that rely on remote-sensing data This is an open access book.

​​The ten-volume set LNCS 12949 – 12958 constitutes the proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Computational Science and Its Applications, ICCSA 2021, which was held in Cagliari, Italy, during September 13 – 16, 2021. The event was organized in a hybrid mode due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The 466 full and 18 short papers presented in these books were carefully reviewed and selected from 1588 submissions. Part VII of the set includes the proceedings of the following workshops: ​​International Workshop on Geomatics for Resource Monitoring and Management (GRMM 2021); International Workshop on Geomatics in Agriculture and Forestry: new advances and perspectives (Geo-for-Agr 2021); 12th International Symposium on Software Quality (SQ 2021);10th International Workshop on Collective, Massive and Evolutionary Systems (IWCES 2021); International Workshop on Land Use monitoring for Sustainability (LUMS 2021); International Workshop on Machine Learning for Space and Earth Observation Data (MALSEOD 2021); International Workshop on Building multi-dimensional models for assessing complex environmental systems (MES 2021); International Workshop on Ecosystem Services: nature's contribution to people in practice. Assessment frameworks, models, mapping, andimplications (NC2P 2021).

This book highlights several opportunities that exist in satellite remote sensing of large-scale terrestrial hydrology. It lays bare the novel concept of remote sensing hydrology and demonstrates key applications of advance satellite technology and new methods in advancing our fundamental understanding of environmental systems. This includes, using state-of-the-art satellite hydrology missions like the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and other multi-mission satellite systems as important tools that underpin water resources planning and accounting. This book discusses and demonstrates how the efficacy, simplicity, and sophistication in novel computing platforms for big earth observation data can help facilitate environmental monitoring and improve contemporary understanding of climate change impacts on freshwater resources. It also provides opportunities for practitioners and relevant government agencies to leverage satellite-based information in a transdisciplinary context to address several environmental issues affecting society. This book provides a general framework and highlights methods to help improve our understanding of hydrological processes and impact analysis from extreme events (e.g., droughts, floods) and climate change.

Climate Change in the Himalayas: Vulnerability and Resilience of Biodiversity and Forest Ecosystems explores and assesses issues affecting species survival in the rich forests of the Himalayan region. This book characterizes current biodiversity statuses, related ecosystem services, and provides new evidence and solutions for climate change effects on Himalayan animals and plants. Written by regional and international experts on climate change, ecosystems and the Himalayas, this book analyzes current species threats, loss of habitats, and carbon effects. It identifies critical areas requiring special attention and provides workable solutions for protection and ecosystem services. As many plant and animal species continue to be classified as extinct due to climate change, urbanization, and failing ecosystems, analyses and techniques in this book offer resolutions for sustaining current risks and curbing future risks. These can also be applied to other biodiverse, at-risk regions of the world. - Offers nature-based solutions, along with policy and governance measures, such as the application of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement - Provides mitigation and adaptation processes for current and future climate change impacts - Includes a focus on soil sustainability