Living Planet Index

Thematic indices

The LPI method and database are used to create a global indicator of biodiversity change. While the data and method can be used to produce indices at different geographic scales, see National and regional indicators , the data can also be divided into subsets to focus on specific groups of species. The following examples show some recent applications we have developed or jointly developed.

Utilised Species Index

Sustainable use of natural resources is central to biodiversity conservation. Using more than 11,000 vertebrate population time series, we developed an indicator of utilised populations and proposed it’s use in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Forest Specialists Index

Forest specialists comprise species which live only in forests habitats. The Forest Specialist Index was developed by applying the LPI methodology to forest specialists alone, as a key groups of species to monitor alongside forest area-based indicators. The trends in forest vertebrate population can reflect impact drivers other than habitat degradation, such as wildlife harvesting and disease.
Migratory species

Analyses found that migratory species have overall increased in global abundance. Further disaggregation of the data revealed interesting underlying trends.
Migratory Freshwater Fish

Freshwater migratory fish require connectivity in their habitats in order to complete their life cycle. Dams and other river infrastructure create barriers to this movement and can impact the survival of populations. This project is a collaboration to develop an LPI for freshwater migratory fish.
Wildlife Comeback Europe

We are working with Rewilding Europe to develop a broader understanding of vertebrate abundance trends in Europe over the last 50 years. The most recent report was published in 2022.
Mediterranean Wetlands

The Mediterranean basin, a biodiversity hotspot, is subject to anthropogenic pressure. This report aims to aid conservation of Mediterranean wetlands by producing population trends for vertebrate species in the region.