The BGC Center recently developed two new ArcGIS StoryMaps about our biodiversity indicators with support from the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation: “The Species Information Index” and “Priority Places for Biodiversity Conservation”, which explores the Species Protection Index and conservation prioritization. 

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“The Species Information Index” (SII) dives into the calculation and application of the SII, one of our main biodiversity indicators that assesses how well existing spatiotemporal biodiversity records cover species expected ranges. The StoryMap showcases new global SII data for 2023, which is also available to explore on Map of Life, and explores how the SII can be used to inform conservation decision making. In addition to our freely available global calculations, countries and other conservation actors can perform customized SII calculations, and this StoryMap provides an overview of how the SII is formulated to easily accommodate changes in input data, taxonomic scope, and aggregation level.

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“Priority Places for Biodiversity Conservation”, co-developed with the Half-Earth Project Map, explores the Species Protection Index (SPI) and the conservation prioritization analysis prepared by the BGC Center and the Half-Earth Project. The StoryMap highlights the new terrestrial richness and rarity layers now displayed on the Half-Earth Project Map and provides an overview of the SPI calculation as well as the latest global map of protected areas and resulting national SPI. Then, it explains how these data help inform our global conservation prioritization analysis, which highlights the remaining unprotected areas in the world that would most benefit species conservation if protected. This global priority layer can be explored on the Half-Earth Project Map.

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We’re excited to be sharing information about these biodiversity indicators and other species conservation data products through Esri’s storytelling technology. Head to ArcGIS Online to explore the SII and SPI & Priority Places StoryMaps.