DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.14008204
title: Metadatabase of available data on drivers, pressures, biodiversity, ecosystem services and conservation actions

description: We identified and document 137 datasets and databases on European biodiversity, ecosystem services, the drivers and pressures affecting them, and the mechanisms put in place to address these. These datasets represent nearly 2000 variables and metrics that can be used directly by researchers, land managers and decision-makers for example for spatial planning in conservation or be further integrated into biodiversity and ecosystem services models.

This metadatabase and associated tables supports Deliverable 3.1 of the NaturaConnect Horizon Europe project (D3.1 Report and data on the biodiversity, protected areas and environmental and socioeconomic data available for the project. Including data gap analysis).

Content

1. Typology.xlsx - Table presenting the typology used to classify and document the datasets and databases within the metadatabase. The typology used to classify those datasets and the variables and metrics within them is built on the DPSIR framework (Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, Response), the Threats Classification Scheme (version 3.3) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as well as the Essential Biodiversity Variables and Essential Ecosystem Services Variables frameworks (EBVs and EESVs respectively).

2. MetaDatabase.xlsx - MetaDatabase documenting the datasets and databases identified in the context of the NaturaConnect project. This metadatabase documents for each dataset or database: 



General information on each entry, that is its name, the corresponding component of the data typology, for instance if the data concerns biodiversity, or pressures on biodiversity. This section also documents the type of information or metrics contained in the entry and their unit as well as the realm (Terrestrial or Freshwater) covered by the data. In many cases, an entry will contain data on more than one variable or product, in which case we labelled it as “multiple” in the general information and list all individual metrics and their unites in a separate table.  




Biological information: if the entry relates to data on biodiversity or ecosystem services, this section is used to inform about the biological entity and taxonomic resolution of the data (e.g. species), the coverage of the biological entity (e.g. amphibians), and the coverage of Essential Variables (EBV or EESV – e.g. species traits).  




Non-biological information: for entries that provide data on drivers, pressures or responses, we document the entity (e.g. type of pressure) and the coverage or scope of the entity.




Temporal information: we describe the temporal extent of each entry and their temporal resolution for those that are repeated measurements in time. 




Spatial information: This section of the metadatabase documents, for the entries that are spatially explicit, which is the spatial scope (e.g. global, national), the spatial extent (e.g. EU28, Spain), and the spatial resolution of the data. 




Method: for each entry, we document whether the data is modelled, interpreted or raw, as well as the dependencies with other datasets. Specifically, we identify if the data is also shared or used in another dataset (either documented in the metadatabase or not).  




Accessibility: this last part of the metadatabase documents the links to (and references of) the data, and, when appropriate, the scientific publication accompanying them. We also keep track of the curator and contact person as well as the last update of the entry. This section is also used to document the data format (e.g. NetCDF, csv), licensing and whether the data can be accessed via an Application Programming Interface (API) or other tool.

3. DetailedMetrics.xlsx - Table containing all the metrics and variables from the datasets documented in the metadatabase. The metrics are mapped to the data typology, and when appropriate to the corresponding Essential Biodiversity Variable or Essential Ecosystem Service Variable. This table documents the name of the metric, or field, as given in the source material, its type (e.g. number, categorical, characters) and when appropriate, its unit. When the information is provided in the source material, the table also contains a definition of the metric as well as the different options given in the case of categorical data.


Method - Databases and Datasets identification

The entries of the metadatabase were identified through three main approaches.

First, a list of online catalogues and repositories was produced and scoped for relevant datasets or databases: European Environment Agency Datahub, European Environment Agency EIONET Central Data Repository, COPERNICUS Land Monitoring Service, Essential Biodiversity Variables - EBV data portal of the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network, Open Traits Network Catalogue, Open Environmental Data Cube Europe, NASA’s Earth Data, NASA’s SEDAC (Socioeconomic data and application center), Euro-Lex (access to European Union Law), JRC - ESDAC (European Soil Data Center), Database of European Vegetation Habitats and Flora, ESA (European Space Agency) Climate Office.   

Second, a survey was sent out to all NaturaConnect consortium members in the third quarter of 2022 to identify both their needs and uses of data across the data typology. This allowed to identify (and document) additional datasets either used or produced within the consortium.

Lastly, the research team punctually added scientific publications of large-scale datasets, although it is important to highlight that this is not resulting from a systematic survey effort of the literature.