Data centre overview

Page Last modified 22 May 2017

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The Biodiversity data centre (BDC) provides access to data and information on species, habitat types and sites of interest in Europe and to related products for biodiversity indicators and assessments. Priority is given to policy-relevant data and information for European and national institutions, professionals, researchers and the public.

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Distribution of reactive nitrogen losses

Figure 20 Sep 2018

Left map shows the sum of NH3 emissions from terrestrial ecosystems, industry and waste management for a grid of 1 km × 1 km. Right map shows total Nr point sources from sewerage systems and diffuse sources from agriculture and forest soils and atmospheric Nr deposition to inland water surfaces for a grid at of 1 km × 1 km.

Abundance and distribution of selected species

Indicator Assessment 12 Sep 2018

Between 1990 and 2015, the common bird index decreased by 8 % in the 26 EU Member States that have bird population monitoring schemes. This decrease is slightly greater (9 %) if figures for Norway and Switzerland are included. The decline in common farmland bird numbers in the same period was more pronounced, at 32 % (EU) and 30 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland). The common forest bird index decreased by 3 % (EU) and 6 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland) over the same period. Grassland butterflies also showed a significant rate of decline in the 19 European countries where butterfly population monitoring schemes exist, at 34 % (EU) and 32 % (all countries).

Common Birds - population index

Data Visualization 12 Sep 2018

European Red Lists of species

Data 11 Sep 2018

The European Red Lists of species is a review of the conservation status of more than 10 000 European species (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater and marine fishes, butterflies, dragonflies, freshwater molluscs, selected groups of beetles, terrestrial molluscs, vascular plants including medicinal plants, bees, grasshoppers, locusts and crickets, lycopods and ferns), according to IUCN regional Red Listing guidelines applied to the EU28 and to the Pan-European level. New in the 2017 December version of the database is the updated European Red List of saproxylic beetles.

Trend of sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives

Data Visualization 02 Jul 2018

Sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives

Indicator Assessment 02 Jul 2018

Since the introduction of the Habitats Directive in 1992 and the establishment of the Natura 2000 network, there has been a steady increase in the cumulative area of the network in EU Member States. In 2017, the network covered an area of 1 322 630 km 2 , encompassing nine terrestrial and five marine biogeographical regions. The coverage of terrestrial Natura 2000 areas is 790 213 km 2 , which is 18.2 % of the EU’s land area, i.e. above the global biodiversity target for protected areas of 17 % (Aichi Target 11).

Copernicus Land Monitoring Service - High Resolution Layers - Forests

Data 16 May 2018

The high resolution forest product consists of three types of (status) products and additional change products. The status products are available for the 2012 and 2015 reference years: 1. Tree cover density providing level of tree cover density in a range from 0-100% 2. Dominant leaf type providing information on the dominant leaf type: broadleaved or coniferous 3. A Forest type product. The forest type product allows to get as close as possible to the FAO forest definition. In its original (20m) resolution it consists of two products: 1) a dominant leaf type product that has a MMU of 0.5 ha, as well as a 10% tree cover density threshold applied, and 2) a support layer that maps, based on the dominant leaf type product, trees under agricultural use and in urban context (derived from CLC and high resolution imperviousness 2009 data). For the final 100m product trees under agricultural use and urban context from the support layer are removed. The high resolution forest change products comprise a simple tree cover density change product for 2012-2015 (% increase or decrease of real tree cover density changes).

Natura 2000: Birds and Habitats Directives

Figure 07 May 2018

Data: 2017

European protected sites

GIS Map Application 03 May 2018

The map shows an overview of protected sites in Europe. Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas, set up to ensure the survival of Europe's most valuable species and habitats. Nationally designated areas (CDDA) is a European inventory of protected areas designated by the national authorities. Name and site code will display when clicking on the map. For some areas it is necessary to zoom in before the information will display.

Fragmentation pressure of urban and transport infrastructure expansion

GIS Map Application 12 Jan 2018

Classes represent the number of meshes per 1 000 square kilometres. Light colours mean less fragmentation pressure and dark colours mean more fragmentation pressure exerted by urban and transport infrastructure expansion.

Europe's seas and selected characteristics of EU marine protected area networks

Figure 18 Dec 2015

The table shows the areal extent of Europe's seas and selected characteristics of EU marine protected areas (MPAs), namely area coverage, percentage of coverage and total number of sites. Data excludes the Icelandic Sea, Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea

Coverage of marine protected areas in Europe's seas

Figure 18 Dec 2015

The table shows the percentage cover of MPAs and distance to 10% target for each regional and sub regional sea and by distance zone from the coastline modified from the report: Spatial analysis of Marine Protected Area Networks in Europe´s seas. EEA Technical report, no 17/2015

Climate change and the seas

Infographic 15 Oct 2015

Climate change is warming the oceans, causing acidification of marine environments, and changing rainfall patterns. This combination of factors often exacerbates of other human pressures on the seas, leading to biodiversity loss in the oceans.

Distribution of reactive nitrogen losses Left map shows the sum of NH3 emissions from terrestrial ecosystems, industry and waste management for a grid of 1 km × 1 km. Right map shows total Nr point sources from sewerage systems and diffuse sources from agriculture and forest soils and atmospheric Nr deposition to inland water surfaces for a grid at of 1 km × 1 km.

Abundance and distribution of selected species Between 1990 and 2015, the common bird index decreased by 8 % in the 26 EU Member States that have bird population monitoring schemes. This decrease is slightly greater (9 %) if figures for Norway and Switzerland are included. The decline in common farmland bird numbers in the same period was more pronounced, at 32 % (EU) and 30 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland). The common forest bird index decreased by 3 % (EU) and 6 % (EU plus Norway and Switzerland) over the same period. Grassland butterflies also showed a significant rate of decline in the 19 European countries where butterfly population monitoring schemes exist, at 34 % (EU) and 32 % (all countries).

Common Birds - population index

European Red Lists of species The European Red Lists of species is a review of the conservation status of more than 10 000 European species (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater and marine fishes, butterflies, dragonflies, freshwater molluscs, selected groups of beetles, terrestrial molluscs, vascular plants including medicinal plants, bees, grasshoppers, locusts and crickets, lycopods and ferns), according to IUCN regional Red Listing guidelines applied to the EU28 and to the Pan-European level. New in the 2017 December version of the database is the updated European Red List of saproxylic beetles.

Trend of sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives

Sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives Since the introduction of the Habitats Directive in 1992 and the establishment of the Natura 2000 network, there has been a steady increase in the cumulative area of the network in EU Member States. In 2017, the network covered an area of 1 322 630 km 2 , encompassing nine terrestrial and five marine biogeographical regions. The coverage of terrestrial Natura 2000 areas is 790 213 km 2 , which is 18.2 % of the EU’s land area, i.e. above the global biodiversity target for protected areas of 17 % (Aichi Target 11).

Copernicus Land Monitoring Service - High Resolution Layers - Forests The high resolution forest product consists of three types of (status) products and additional change products. The status products are available for the 2012 and 2015 reference years: 1. Tree cover density providing level of tree cover density in a range from 0-100% 2. Dominant leaf type providing information on the dominant leaf type: broadleaved or coniferous 3. A Forest type product. The forest type product allows to get as close as possible to the FAO forest definition. In its original (20m) resolution it consists of two products: 1) a dominant leaf type product that has a MMU of 0.5 ha, as well as a 10% tree cover density threshold applied, and 2) a support layer that maps, based on the dominant leaf type product, trees under agricultural use and in urban context (derived from CLC and high resolution imperviousness 2009 data). For the final 100m product trees under agricultural use and urban context from the support layer are removed. The high resolution forest change products comprise a simple tree cover density change product for 2012-2015 (% increase or decrease of real tree cover density changes).

Natura 2000: Birds and Habitats Directives Data: 2017

European protected sites The map shows an overview of protected sites in Europe. Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas, set up to ensure the survival of Europe's most valuable species and habitats. Nationally designated areas (CDDA) is a European inventory of protected areas designated by the national authorities. Name and site code will display when clicking on the map. For some areas it is necessary to zoom in before the information will display.

Fragmentation pressure of urban and transport infrastructure expansion Classes represent the number of meshes per 1 000 square kilometres. Light colours mean less fragmentation pressure and dark colours mean more fragmentation pressure exerted by urban and transport infrastructure expansion.

Europe's seas and selected characteristics of EU marine protected area networks The table shows the areal extent of Europe's seas and selected characteristics of EU marine protected areas (MPAs), namely area coverage, percentage of coverage and total number of sites. Data excludes the Icelandic Sea, Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea

Coverage of marine protected areas in Europe's seas The table shows the percentage cover of MPAs and distance to 10% target for each regional and sub regional sea and by distance zone from the coastline modified from the report: Spatial analysis of Marine Protected Area Networks in Europe´s seas. EEA Technical report, no 17/2015

Climate change and the seas Climate change is warming the oceans, causing acidification of marine environments, and changing rainfall patterns. This combination of factors often exacerbates of other human pressures on the seas, leading to biodiversity loss in the oceans.

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European Red Lists of species

Data 11 Sep 2018

Copernicus Land Monitoring Service - High Resolution Layers - Forests

Data 16 May 2018

Natura 2000 data - the European network of protected sites

Data 03 Apr 2018

Natura 2000 is the key instrument to protect biodiversity in the European Union. It is an ecological network of protected areas, set up to ensure the survival of Europe's most valuable species and habitats. Natura 2000 is based on the 1979 Birds Directive and the 1992 Habitats Directive. This version covers the reporting in 2017. Files downloaded prior to 9 August 2018 do not include information on Greek species.

EUNIS habitat classification

Data 09 Feb 2018

The EUNIS habitat classification is a comprehensive pan-European system to facilitate the harmonised description and collection of data across Europe through the use of criteria for habitat identification. It is hierarchical and covers all types of habitat from natural to artificial, from terrestrial to freshwater and marine.