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Canadian species index

Domain

Environment

Subdomain

Ecological integrity and environmental stewardship

Indicator

Canadian species index

Definition

The average percent change in the sizes of Canadian vertebrate species' populations since 1970.

Measurement

The Canadian species index represents the average percent change in the sizes of Canadian vertebrate species' populations since 1970. The index is an 'average of trends,' rather than a measure of change in the total number of animals: each species, whether it is common or rare, has the same effect on the index. The index reports general trends rather than progress towards desired levels.

Data on changes in the size of vertebrate populations are gathered from a variety of sources and collated in the Living Planet Index Data Portal by the Zoological Society of London. Sources include the peer-reviewed scientific literature, government reports, and reliable online databases. Examples of important sources for Canada include the North American Breeding Bird Survey and the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Library.

The trend in the population size of each species is estimated using all the information available for that particular species. This may include measurements from just one site/location, or measurements from a combination of sites/locations for the same species. These trends are averaged across all species to generate the Canadian species index.

The Canadian species index is broadly similar to the Living Planet Index. The Living Planet Index for Canada uses the same methods as the Canadian species index and reports different sub-indices.

For more information, please refer to Canadian species index from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Data sources

For key results on the Canadian species index, please refer to Canadian species index from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Data visualizations

For visuals of Canadian species index data, please refer to Canadian species index from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Data analysis

For key results on the Canadian species index, please refer to Canadian species index from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Additional information

Animal wildlife populations depend on healthy habitats and can be negatively impacted by threats such as pollution or hunting. Trends in animal populations are a good proxy measure of overall trends in biodiversity and ecosystem health.

For more information, please refer to Canadian species index from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Frameworks

This indicator aligns with the following frameworks:

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