Building a composite indicator for biodiversity through supervised learning and linked indicator sets

Joint Program Report
Building a composite indicator for biodiversity through supervised learning and linked indicator sets
Rouge, K. and C. Adam Schlosser (2023)
Joint Program Report Series, March, 16 p.

Report 365 [Download]

Abstract/Summary:

Abstract: Understanding and predicting fate of global biodiversity amidst an increasingly complex and changing world is a major challenge facing the Earth-system science community.  Among the core research objectives within this challenge lies the ability to construct a comprehensive metric that not only faithfully quantifies the current and observed state of biodiversity, but also captures future trends that are driven by a variety of stressors across environmental, social, and economic systems. In order to give a better overview of our impact on biodiversity despite the obvious complexity inherent to the multi-sectoral nature of the problem, we have chosen to group together the indicators currently assessed and used internationally in a linked indicator set categorized according to the “Pressure-State-Response” framework. This approach stems from a desire to highlight and quantify the links between these different indicators in a logical and objective manner and allows us to construct a systematic synthesis of the key drivers of biodiversity. We develop a new methodology using predictive supervised learning to propose a statistical weighting of the linked indicator metric.

Citation:

Rouge, K. and C. Adam Schlosser (2023): Building a composite indicator for biodiversity through supervised learning and linked indicator sets. Joint Program Report Series Report 365, March, 16 p. (http://globalchange.mit.edu/publication/17984)
  • Joint Program Report
Building a composite indicator for biodiversity through supervised learning and linked indicator sets

Rouge, K. and C. Adam Schlosser

Report 

365
March, 16 p.
2023

Abstract/Summary: 

Abstract: Understanding and predicting fate of global biodiversity amidst an increasingly complex and changing world is a major challenge facing the Earth-system science community.  Among the core research objectives within this challenge lies the ability to construct a comprehensive metric that not only faithfully quantifies the current and observed state of biodiversity, but also captures future trends that are driven by a variety of stressors across environmental, social, and economic systems. In order to give a better overview of our impact on biodiversity despite the obvious complexity inherent to the multi-sectoral nature of the problem, we have chosen to group together the indicators currently assessed and used internationally in a linked indicator set categorized according to the “Pressure-State-Response” framework. This approach stems from a desire to highlight and quantify the links between these different indicators in a logical and objective manner and allows us to construct a systematic synthesis of the key drivers of biodiversity. We develop a new methodology using predictive supervised learning to propose a statistical weighting of the linked indicator metric.

Posted to public: 

Tuesday, March 21, 2023 - 16:06