This tool is helpful for monitoring and evaluation because the information is provided at the parcel level. This, combined with the IACS/LPIS, allows monitoring at the parcel and farm level and allows for spatial aggregations at a watershed or a Natura 2000 site. Therefore, the evaluator should be knowledgeable and have a clear plan of using these markers. For example, NDVI can differentiate bare soil from grass or forest, detect plants under stress, and differentiate between crops and crop stages to produce crop type maps. Thus, the possible use of the markers depends on the evaluator’s objectives.
For example, the FCOVER marker measures the susceptibility of soils on an agricultural field to erosion and irrigation requirements. Crop types with high FCOVER at early developmental stages better intercept incident radiation and rainfall, increasing soil shading and decreasing soil evaporation. FCOVER has been used, together with other data, to assess the erosion of grasslands in Switzerland. (https://land.copernicus.eu/global/sites/cgls.vito.be/files/use-cases/CGLOPS_UC_UBasel_I1.10.pdf )
The markers database is open to the Paying Agencies of the pilot countries and external user countries, as well as other stakeholders interested in applying it in their regions or Member State. Downloading the package is open to anyone and free of charge. The database comes with many facilities supporting data retrieval and visualisation. Downloading the package is open to anyone and free of charge. Adopting the tool assumes that the IT infrastructure is adequate and that the evaluator can use the data. The computing system’s specifications are detailed at: http://esa-sen4cap.org/content/download-package-description
One difficulty in using the markers database is related to the effort and time needed to link the markers map with the LPIS and IACS.
