Atoll biodiversity and environments: an AI-ready, interactive data portal for Indo-Pacific atolls
This FAIR² data portal compiles harmonized biodiversity and environmental datasets for all 310 Indo‑Pacific atolls, including species inventories, habitat and climate descriptors, human use data, and model outputs such as seabird population estimates. It provides 90 standardized variables and 4,215 species records, offering the first centralized, AI‑ready baseline for cross‑layer analyses, conservation, and climate‑risk research.
Subject Tags
- Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
- Climate risks
- Biodiversity
Abstract
This FAIR² data portal provides harmonized information on biodiversity and environments for Indo-Pacific atolls. It collates species inventories using best available data for six terrestrial guilds (arthropods, birds, land crabs, native mammals, vascular plants, reptiles), and integrates biogeographic descriptors, land and reef habitat classifications, oceanographic variables, climate metrics, human population data, and information on historical military use. Outputs from models trained on these data are also provided, such as estimated breeding seabird population sizes for each atoll. In total, the different data layers provide information for all 310 Indo-Pacific atolls with permanent, emergent landforms, and comprise 90 standardized variables and 4,215 species records digitized from 677 literature sources, with species catalogues linked to GBIF, BOLD, and NCBI databases via unique taxon identifiers. The portal adheres to FAIR² principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable, AI-readiness, Responsible AI) to support reproducible environmental analyses and machine-learning workflows. While biodiversity data coverage varies geographically and both environmental and biodiversity data lack temporal replication, the dataset provides the first centralized, interoperable baseline for information on atoll biotic and physical systems, enabling a framework for additional data layers, cross-layer analyses and supporting research, conservation, climate-risk assessment, and policy.
Citation
Steibl, S., Burnett, M. W., Holmes, N. D., Wegmann, A., & Russell, J. C. Atoll biodiversity and environments: an AI-ready, interactive data portal for Indo-Pacific atolls. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 13, 1723851.
TNC Authors
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Nick Holmes
Associate Director, Oceans Program. California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: nick.holmes@tnc.org -
Alex Wegmann
Lead Scientist, Island Resilience. California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: alex.wegmann@tnc.org -
Michael Burnett (VOLUNTEER)
Island Conservatioin Strategy Lead. TNC Palmyra Program
The Nature Conservancy
Email: michael.burnett@tnc.org