The Species at Risk KPI measures the extinction risk of species present in the study area, according to the European Red List classification (European Red Lists, EEA). The indicator assesses the presence of threatened species and signals the need for active conservation measures. The pie chart visualisation shows the distribution of species by IUCN risk category.
Biodiversity loss is accelerated by human activity: Ceballos et al. (2015) estimate that the current extinction rate is 8 to 100 times higher than the background extinction rate, constituting a true sixth mass extinction. The presence of vulnerable species in the study area is a direct signal of the local ecosystem health status.
Only species with risk level VU or higher are counted:
| Category | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vulnerable | VU | High risk of extinction in the wild |
| Endangered | EN | Very high risk of extinction |
| Critically Endangered | CR | Extremely high risk of extinction |
| Extinct in the Wild | EW | Survives only in captivity or as introduced populations |
| Extinct | EX | No known living individuals |
Categories LC (Least Concern), NT (Near Threatened), DD (Data Deficient) and NE (Not Evaluated) are not included in the at-risk species count.
The calculation uses the EUR_EEARL_24 source (European Red Lists of Species, EEA, 2024). For each study area, species present are identified and classified according to the European Red List. The pie chart shows the percentage distribution of at-risk species (VU, EN, CR, EW, EX) by category.
| Code | Name | Provider | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
EUR_EEARL_24 | European Red Lists of Species | EEA (European Environment Agency) | 2024 |
| Indicator | Unit | Range | Inverted |
|---|---|---|---|
iucn | — | [0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20] | Yes |
species_risk | — | [0, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20] | Yes |
Inverted = Yes: a higher number of at-risk species indicates worse ecological conditions. A low value (few or no at-risk species) corresponds to the best level.
| Level | No. at-risk species | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| A (Excellent) | 0 – 1 | No or very few at-risk species in the area |
| B (Good) | 2 – 5 | Few at-risk species; ecosystem in good condition |
| C (Moderate) | 5 – 10 | Significant presence of vulnerable species |
| D (Poor) | 10 – 15 | High pressure on species; interventions recommended |
| E (Critical) | > 15 | Biodiversity crisis; urgent conservation measures needed |
iucn
species_risk
Uses the EUR_EEARL_24 source (European Red Lists of Species, EEA, 2024). For each study area, species present are identified and classified according to the European Red List. Only species with risk level VU (Vulnerable) or higher are counted: VU, EN (Endangered), CR (Critically Endangered), EW (Extinct in the Wild), EX (Extinct). The pie chart shows the percentage distribution of at-risk species by IUCN category. Inverted indicator: lower values = fewer at-risk species = healthier ecosystem.