- Scientists can use images taken from the space station to better understand variations in ecosystem productivity, or the ability of an ecosystem to convert carbon dioxide into biomass.
- Information on how ecosystem productivity changes over a day or growing season is important for farmers and foresters to improve crop and forest growth and optimize the use of resources such as water and fertilizer.
- Understanding variations in ecosystem productivity is also important for better understanding and adjusting for changes in Earth’s climate.
- Global data on variations in ecosystem productivity would allow scientists to model how changes in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere will impact future agricultural production and to predict ecosystem stability.