Species Richness

Description

This indicator provides a global estimate of species richness, ranging from 0 (lowest richness) to 100 (highest). Richness is calculated from probability distributions of thousands of species, representing the suitability of each location to be inhabited.

The distributions are derived from occurrence data in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and environmental layers that characterise habitat conditions. These inputs identify areas with high biodiversity and ecological importance, supporting conservation planning and ecological assessments.

What it measures

• Global species richness values (0–100).
• Probability of habitat suitability for thousands of species.
• Integration of occurrence data and environmental predictors.

How to interpret

• Low values (near 0): Few species or low suitability for species presence.
• High values (closer to 100): Areas with higher biodiversity and ecological uniqueness.

Unit / Scale

Index (0–100).
Spatial resolution: 1000 m.
Temporal coverage: 2024, updated annually.

Author / Source

Lemu — based on GBIF data and global environmental covariates.
🔗 https://www.gbif.org

📄 GBIF.org. (2023). GBIF occurrence data. Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

📄 Jung, M., Dahal, P. R., Butchart, S. H., Donald, P. F., De Lamo, X., Lesiv, M., … & Visconti, P. (2020). A global map of terrestrial habitat types. Scientific Data, 7(1), 1–8.

📄 Trabucco, A., & Zomer, R. J. (2019). Global high-resolution soil-water balance (Version 3) [Dataset]. Figshare.

📄 Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). (2024). ALOS Global Digital Surface Model “ALOS World 3D – 30m (AW3D30)” (Version 4.1). JAXA Earth Observation Research Center (EORC).

Applications in Atlas

• Identify biodiversity hotspots for conservation prioritisation.
• Support ecological baselines in environmental impact assessments.
• Inform land-use planning and sustainable development strategies.
• Provide spatially explicit inputs for global biodiversity monitoring.