Biodiversity Metric 4.0 is finally here but what's new?
The main difference between Biodiversity Metric 3.0 and 4.0 is that the latter is a more comprehensive and updated version that includes additional components to assess biodiversity.
Biodiversity Metric 3.0 only included three components: habitat diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem services.
Biodiversity Metric 4.0, on the other hand, includes four components: habitat quality, habitat connectivity, species diversity, and ecosystem services. The addition of habitat quality and habitat connectivity allows for a more complete assessment of the conditions required for biodiversity to thrive.
Habitat quality measures the suitability of the habitat for supporting biodiversity in terms of vegetation structure, soil quality, and water availability.
Habitat connectivity, on the other hand, measures the degree to which habitats are connected to each other, which is essential for species to move and interact with each other.
By including these two additional components, Biodiversity Metric 4.0 provides a more comprehensive and detailed assessment of biodiversity, which can help guide conservation efforts and track progress over time.