Mapping the Unseen: Evaluating Remote Sensing Technologies for Analyzing Macroinvertebrate Communities in Coastal Ecosystems for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction: Remote sensing technology has significantly expanded in the last two decades for monitoring the health of coastal waters Objective: This paper aims to explore the efficacy of remote sensing technologies for mapping, analyzing, and visualizing macroinvertebrate communities in coastal ecosystems. Theoretical Framework: the study, is based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) concept, to direct further research and offer suggestions for better ecological monitoring. Method: This study uses a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine the role of remote sensing technologies (RST) in monitoring coastal ecosystems and assessing water quality. It draws data from multiple databases, including Google Scholar, Springer, PubMed, and others, to analyze the efficiency of RST for monitoring coastal macroinvertebrate communities. The selected papers were qualitatively analyzed using NVivo software. Results and Discussion: The study highlights the transformative impact of remote sensing in ecological monitoring, demonstrating improved accuracy (85% vs. 70% with traditional methods), high-resolution imaging for habitat analysis, and robust predictive modeling (r² > 0.75) for biodiversity mapping. These findings advance ecological insights, enhance macroinvertebrate monitoring, and support conservation and management initiatives. Research Implications: This research emphasizes improved accuracy, habitat analysis, and predictive modeling for biodiversity hotspots, aiding conservation, resource allocation, and sustainable ecosystem management while addressing challenges like environmental variability, accessibility, and costs. Originality/Value: This study highlights the transformative role of remote sensing in ecological monitoring, improving accuracy, habitat analysis, and predictive modeling. It advances ecological insights, supports conservation efforts, and addresses challenges like environmental variability and accessibility to inspire future innovations.