EnviroAtlas: A new geospatial tool to foster ecosystem services science and resource management

AbstractIn this article we present EnviroAtlas, a web-based, open access tool that seeks to meet a range of needs by bringing together environmental, economic and demographic data in an ecosystem services framework. Within EnviroAtlas, there are three primary types of geospatial data: research-derived ecosystem services indicator data in their native resolution, indicator data that have been summarized to standard reporting units, and reference data. Reporting units include watershed basins across the contiguous U.S. and Census block groups throughout featured urban areas. EnviroAtlas includes both current and future drivers of change, such as land use and climate, for addressing issues of adaptation, conservation, equity, and resiliency. In addition to geospatial data, EnviroAtlas includes geospatial and statistical tools, and resources that support research, education, and decision-making. With the development of EnviroAtlas, we facilitate the practice of ecosystem services science by providing a framework to track conditions across political boundaries and assess policies and regulations. EnviroAtlas is a robust research and educational resource, with consistent, systems-oriented information to support nationally, regionally, and locally focused decisions