Context - Ecoregions

Ecoregions are extensive land areas defined by their distinct ecosystems, environmental characteristics, and species. The 846 global ecoregions are identified based on similarities in temperature, precipitation, and geology, reflecting the natural communities before significant land-use changes.

Overview

Data Type	Polygons of ecoregions
Source	Dinerstein et al. (2017)
Spatial Resolution	Spatially explicit
Temporal Resolution	No updates required
Interpretation	Ecoregion data is not directly used as a State of Nature indicator. Ecoregion data is used to ensure ecologically relevant interpretations of other indicators.
Concern Level	No concern levels directly associated with ecoregions.
Framework Relevance	Ecoregion data is relevant for contextual information under CSRD (ESRS E4) as well as under TNFD.

Indicator documentation

Explanation

Ecoregions are large areas of land that that are defined by their distinct collection of ecosystems, environmental features and species. Ecoregions are characterized by similarities in temperature, precipitation and geology that shape the composition of plant and animal species that thrive there. Rather than following political boundaries, the boundaries of ecoregions approximate the original extent and distribution of Earth’s natural communities prior to major land-use change. In doing so, Ecoregions provide a useful spatial framework for the ecologically meaningful comparison of habitats and species. The RESOLVE Ecoregions dataset distinguished 846 terrestrial ecoregions that are grouped into 14 biomes and 8 realms (higher-level biogeographic divisions).

Transformation & Interpretation

Ecoregion data is not directly used as a State of Nature indicator. Ecoregion data is used to ensure ecologically relevant interpretations for other State of Nature indicators following state-of-the-art methodology for large-scale monitoring of ecological integrity. The scores of the following State of Nature indicators are based on the indicator’s distribution within a given ecoregion:

Loss of Ecosystem Function / NPP

Source

The RESOLVE ecoregion data set is based on Dinerstein et al. (2017) building on the work of provided as part of Olson et al. (2001).

Date of publication

2021

Confidence & Accuracy

Medium (best available at global scale). Ecoregion data provides a useful spatial framework large-scale monitoring of ecological integrity. The present data set is based on numerous regional biogeographic classification systems and the consultation of regional experts. Nevertheless, there are caveats to this kind of ecoregion mapping. Firstly, no single biogeographic framework works perfectly for all species. Ecoregions aim to find a compromise for as many as possible. Secondly, ecoregion boundaries are rarely as sharp as defined. In reality the edge of ecoregions are often characterized by transitional areas and mosaic habitats. Thirdly, many ecoregions include habitats that don't precisely match their assigned biome (e.g. rainforest ecoregions in Amazonia occasionally featuring small savannas).

Relevance for CSRD

CSRD requires companies to analyze and disclose biomes and ecosystems its operational sites interface with and the integrity of these areas. The ecoregion data is relevant under:

ESRS Article	Disclosure or application requirement
ESRS E4 AR 7 (b)	list biomes and ecosystems it is interfacing with
ESRS E4 AR 7 (c)	identify current integrity and importance of biodiversity and ecosystem at each location

CSRD requires companies to consider and describe the data used in their analysis (ESRS E4 AR 27). For convenience, here a description of for the relevant criteria:

ESRS Data Criteria	Comment
(a) methodology, reason for selection, assumptions, limitations & uncertainties	Methodology: Ecoregions are based on numerous regional biogeographic classification systems and the consultation of regional experts. Reason for selection: The indicator has been selected to provide contextual information on the biomes and ecoregions around operational sites. The selected metric is science-based, peer-reviewed, widely used. Assumptions: Assumptions underlying the ecoregion categorizations are detailed in Dinerstein et al. (2017). Limitations & uncertainties: There are caveats to ecoregion mapping. Firstly, no single biogeographic framework works perfectly for all species. Ecoregions aim to find a compromise for as many as possible. Secondly, ecoregion boundaries are rarely as sharp as defined. In reality the edge of ecoregions are often characterized by transitional areas and mosaic habitats. Thirdly, many ecoregions include habitats that don't precisely match their assigned biome (e.g. rainforest ecoregions in Amazonia occasionally featuring small savannas).
(b) scope of metric	The ecoregion data is applied at site level.
(c) biodiversity component of metric	The ecoregion data is an ecosystem-level nature indicator. It provides contextual information on the temperature, precipitation, and geology, reflecting the natural communities of an area before significant land-use changes.
(d) covered geographies	The ecoregion data has global coverage.
(e) integration of ecological thresholds	The ecoregion data does not directly relate to an ecological threshold.
(f) frequency of monitoring, baseline condition and period	Updatability is less relevant for this data, since ecoregions do not reflect the current state of ecological integrity but the spatial categorization is rather based the original extent and distribution of Earth’s natural communities prior to major land-use change.
(g) data type (primary, secondary, modelled, expert judgement	The ecoregion data relies on secondary data and expert judgement.

Relevance for TNFD

The ecoregion data set is not directly relevant to TNFD, however, it contributes to the ecologically meaningful interpretation of other State of Nature indicators used to assess Ecosystem Integrity within TNFD’s LOCATE step.

Relevance for SBTN

The ecoregion data set is not directly relevant to SBTN, however, it contributes to the ecologically meaningful interpretation of several relevant State of Nature indicators.

SBTN Data & Tool Criteria	Evaluation	Comment
Relevance	✅	Ecoregion data is indirectly relevant to SBTN aligned methodology by enabling an ecologically meaningful scoring of individual State of Nature indicators.
Representative	✅	Ecoregion data is indirectly contributes to the State of Nature assessment under SBTN Step 1 & 2.
Spatial and Temporal Resolution	✅	The average ecoregion size is approximately 150,000 km² (median 56,300 km²). The most recent version has been published in 2021. Updatability is less relevant for this data, since ecoregions do not reflect the current state of ecological integrity but the spatial categorization is rather based the original extent and distribution of Earth’s natural communities prior to major land-use change.
Stability and Preservation	✅	Ecoregion data is likely to be maintained and preserved long-term as it widely used and provided by provided by the NGO RESOLVE and several geospatial databases such as Google Earth Engine and other.
Accessibility	✅	Ecoregion data is readily accessible online.
Interpretability	✅	Ecoregion data is sufficiently interpretable and generates an appropriate intermediate-input for the SBTN methodology.
Coverage	✅	Ecoregion data has global coverage.
Authoritative and Accurate	✅	Ecoregion data is science-based and peer-reviewed.