Observing Vegetation Change and Climate Resilience from Space in Australia

Dr Qiaoyun Xie will present an overview of how vegetation dynamics can be observed using satellites, and why it is especially important that we monitor vegetation response to climate variability and extremes in Australia. 

Vegetation underpins ecosystem health and human wellbeing, yet its growth is limited by essential resources such as water, nutrients, light, and groundwater. Australia supports globally significant but often understudied ecosystems, while also sitting at the frontline of climate change, experiencing intensifying droughts and extreme rainfall. Understanding how vegetation resists, responds to, and recovers from these pressures is a critical scientific and societal challenge.

The talk will outline how vegetation dynamics are observed across scales, from field measurements and drones to satellites, using geospatial information to monitor growth, stress, and seasonal patterns. Dr Xie will illustrate these approaches through Australian case studies, including resilience along the North Australian Tropical Transect, legacy effects of extreme rainfall across drylands, and groundwater influences on Jarrah Forest health. Together, these examples show how Earth Observation helps us better understand and manage Australia’s changing landscapes.

Royal Perth Golf Club | 61 Labouchere Rd, South Perth

Friday 6th February 2026

12:15 for 12:30 start and 2pm close

$60 per person

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/DISPA

Bookings close 3pm Tuesday 3rd February