Essential Biodiversity Variables

Henrique Miguel Pereira German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Halle-Jena-Leipzig

The complexity of biodiversity change

Pereira, H.M. et al (2012) Annual Review of the

Environment and Resources.

2

The need for Essential Biodiversity Variables

• The role of EBVs – Biodiversity observation systems should be structured around

common variables: protocols, sampling schemes, etc. – Biodiversity information systems should also be structured

around common variables

• Users of the EBV’s: – Scientists will use the data for the study of global biodiversity

change – Conservation professionals would assess effectiveness of

management strategies – NGO’s would develop communication tools (e.g. indicators) – Policy-makers would be able to assess both national targets and

global targets

What is an EBV?

• An essential biodiversity variable is a quantity, based on observations and for large parts of the Earth, which is required for the long-term management of biodiversity at national to global scales and especially for the detection of change

Response variables

measured within biodiversity domain

(e.g. protected area coverage)

Response variables from other domains

Pressure variables measured within

biodiversity domain (e.g. species harvest

rates)

Pressure variables from other domains

Essential Biodiversity Variables

Primary change observations

In-situ monitoring Remote sensing

State variables

Ancillary data on slow-changing biodiversity attributes & relationships

Ecosystem-service valuation

High-level indicators of past-to-present change in biodiversity and ecosystem services

Scenario analyses of future change in biodiversity and ecosystem services

Projected drivers & pressures

Basic pre-processing & analysis

Alternative policy & management responses

How is biodiversity changing?

Why is biodiversity changing?

How effective are implemented responses?

What are the consequences for human well-being?

What is the future risk of harmful biodiversity change?

Genetic composition

Species & functional group traits

Species populations and community composition

Ecosystem extent & structure

Ecosystem function & processes

Co-ancestry

Allellic richness

Hetero-zygosity

Evolutionary distinctiveness

Alleles of a gene

Phylogenetic diversity

Gene beta

F ST Trait

frequency

Spectral reflectance over time

Phenometrics

LIDAR Radar

Hi-res imagery

Height & cover

Extent of ecosystem

Presence & abundance of

species

ES use & price Traits

Composition by species

Land use

Fragmentation

NPP

ES yield

Composition by FT

Status of ecosystems

Status of species

Disturb regime

Species richness &

equity

Species distribution

Functional types

Taxonomy

Protection success

Natural Capital

Protected area

Pereira et al 2013 Essential Biodiversity Variables for Global Earth Observation. Science 339,277-8

Primary observations

Synthesis Indices

EBVs

Observation-based indicators

What is an Essential Climatic Variable?

Technically feasible

Essential Climate Variables for Atmosphere Surface: Air temperature, Wind speed & direction, Water vapor, Pressure, Precipitation, Surface radiation. Upper-air: Temperature, Wind speed & direction, Water vapor, Cloud properties, Composition: Carbon dioxide, Methane, Ozone & Aerosols,

Global implementation

Economically viable

FA

O-C

LIM

2 +

GH

CN

Precipitation weather stations

Temperature weather stations

Historical & current observations

Spatially explicit models of historical and current climatic conditions

Future projections under multiple scenarios

What is an Essential Climatic Variable?

676,578 km2 19 stations

1 per 50,000 km2

3,287,263 km2 3,447 stations

1 per 1,000 km2

Differences and similarities between primary observations that go into ECVs and EBVs

Spac

e

Spac

e

Time Time

California Academy of Sciences Ichthyology collections since 1866

1866 2011 1940 1900 1976

Year

Bias in biodiversity data

Characteristics of an Essential Biodiversity Variable

Is biodiversity is improving or worsening?

Magnitude

Velocity

Direction

Change Multiple spatial

scales Essential dimensions

of biodiversity

Characteristics of Essential Biodiversity Variables

1x1 km 4x4 km 16x16 km 64x64 km

Modeled species richness

Ability to detect change

Cover dimensions of biodiversity Allow aggregation and disaggregation

Characteristics of an Essential Biodiversity Variable

•Opportunities for semi or full automation using new technology •Documentation and guidelines •Data management, archive and distribution •QC&QA practices •Relevancy and satisfaction of multiple user needs •Stage of development •Existing data availability

•Feasibility and scalability •Constraints and sensitivity •Spatial coverage •Temporal sustainability and periodicity •Degree of consensus among the community •Coherence and flows of input data •Degree of abstraction in the methods and interpretation •Proof of concept availability

Pereira, H.M. et al (2013) Science

Challenges in monitoring EBVs Taxonomic gaps

What do we currently measure

Reality

Monitoring schemes for EBVs

Essential

Biodiversity

Class

Essential Biodiversity

Variable

Main design choice Metrics or taxa

groups (examples)

Species

populations

Species abundance How many taxa to

monitor?

Common versus rare

species; Species range

Species age structure

Species traits Phenology Which metrics and

how many taxa to

monitor?

Metrics are taxon-

dependent: flowering

time, migration time

Body mass Harvested vs. non-

harvested species

Community

composition

Species interactions Which metrics to

monitor?

Connectedness,

Length of trophic

chain, Interaction

strength

Taxonomic diversity Species richness,

Species diversity,

Phylogenetic diversity,

etc.

Choosing metrics for EBVs

Choosing metrics for EBVs

EBVClasses1 EBVMetrics1 AichiIndicators2 BiodiversityandES

Models

Genetic

composition

Numberofanimalsofeach

livestockbreedandfarmed

areaundereachcrop

Geneticdiversityof

domesticated

animals

-

Species

populations

Populationabundanceof

selectedspeciesorfunctional

groups

LivingPlanetIndex

PopulationViability

Analysis3;Ecosimwith

Ecopath4;Madingley5

Speciesoccupancyof

selectedspecies

RedListIndex SpeciesDistribution

Models6

Speciestraits Leafsenescenceforselected

species

- -

Community

composition

Speciesrichnessofa

community

- PREDICTS7;GLOBIO-

IMAGE8

Ecosystem

structure

Proportionofcoverofeach

habitattype

Naturalhabitat

extentGLOBIO-IMAGE8;

MiniCAM9

Ecosystem

function

NutrientRetention - InVEST10;

From monitoring schemes to indicators

EBVs and Policy

Geijzendorffer, I.R.et al. (2015) Journal of Applied Ecology

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Co-managedbyGEO-BONandleaddevelopersContentprovidedby3rdlevelpageownersCommentsprovidedbyallcontributors

Management&contentrestrictedtopageownersCommentsprovidedbyall

contributors

Inform

aonflow

1stlevel:EBVshigh-levelindicators

2ndlevel:EBVClasses

3rdlevel:IndividualEBVs

2ndphase

2ndphase

1stphase

EBVsdevelopmentandwebsitehierarchicalorganiza on