Points:
Projections:
About Species Distribution
1. Choose a Species OccurrenceHelp
Find Species in GBIF
Import Species File
Lifemapper can accept occurrences as csv and zipped shapefiles based on the Geographic Coordinate System (Lat/Long).


2. Choose an AlgorithmHelp
3. Choose an Environmental SetHelp
Run Experiment
Create an experiment
Create an experiment
Create an experiment
Create an experiment
1. Choose to either find a species in the GBIF archive
or
Import a Species file
2. Choose an Algorithm.
3. Choose an Environmental Set.
Note: because of time limitations on the web Lifemapper has limited the Website test drive to low resolution Environmental Sets. High Resolution Environmental Sets are available through Lifemapper web services, which can be accessed either through the QGIS-Lifemapper plugin or programmatically.
4. Enter your email to receive an email notification when your experiment is complete. The email will include your experiment number for future reference.
5. Click the Run Experiment button.

The My Exeriments dialog will display showing the progress of your new experiment submission as it is processed.
Explore Archive
Explore Archive
Explore Archive
1. Type the first 3 letters of the name of a species here.

Hint: If your species is not in the list continue typing letters until it appears.
...
A list of available species matching the criteria will appear.
2. Choose a species from the list.
...
Points for every species occurrence found in the latest copy of the GBIF species archive will display on the map.

*Please note: modeled distributions are not available for all species in the archive. Species with less than 50 points are not modeled.
3. Choose a projection.
...
The projection will display on the map.
Explore Climate Layers Explore Climate Layers
1. Choose a Climate Data source
2. Choose an IPCC Scenario
...
3. Climate layers matching your choices will become available to explore. Please note that some of the layers are high resolution and may take a few minutes to display. These high-resolution layers are available for creating experiments using Lifemapper Web Services or Web Clients but not on the website.

Click a Climate layer to display it on the map.
Explore the Species Archive
This includes GBIF species distribution data, and any existing current day and future projections.
Species Archive
Explore the Climate Layers
This includes high resolution climate layers available through Lifemapper Web Services.
Climate Layers
Create a new Experiment
Choose species data (or upload data), an algorithm and low resolution climate set to create projections.
New Experiment
View an experiment
View an experiment
This dialog allows you to view your new experiments for each browser session. Closing the browser will clear the cache. To view an experiment from a previous session simply enter the Experiment Number in the box provided. Experiments will be available for 2 weeks.
1. Enter an Existing Experiment number.
2. Click on a New Experiment while it is processing to check the status.
3. Click on an Experiment.
...
Species Occurrence points will display on the map.
4. Click on a projection.
...
The projection layer will display on the map.

NewHelp

PreviousHelp

Lifemapper Species Maps and Models

The Lifemapper Species Maps and Model (LmSDM) web application is meant to be an introduction to species distribution modeling.

For an overview of Lifemapper's approach to SDM please visit the website.

To run more complex models please download the Lifemapper VisTrails Client.

The LmSDM web application harnesses the Lifemapper archives and web services and allows you to either search for existing species data, maps and models, or upload your own species data and run a model.

Data, maps and models can be downloaded by using the Download button.
Search for a Species Occurrence
Enter the first 3 letters of a species name, then choose a species from the list of names that appears. A species name is followed by the number of occurrence points and the number of models available.
Click to view images of the species in Google Images
Click to view the occurrence data in Google Earth (You must have Google Earth installed on your computer)
Occurrence Points will display on the map, with an orange 'pin'.
Click on a point to view the associated metadata
Existing Models
Projected species distributions are organized by the algorithm used to create a model, then the climate scenario that model was applied to. The climate scenario is listed with the name of the modeling center that provided the predicted climate data, the IPCC scenario used for the prediction, and the approximate year the climate is predicted for, as in the following example:
Information about the algorithms used in Lifemapper models can be found on the openModeller website.
CRU: The Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia provides climate layers based on Observed Climate information. More information can be found on the CRU Website.
Hadley: The Met Office Hadley Centre is one of the UK’s foremost climate change research centres. More information can be found on the Hadley website.
A simplified description and comparison of the IPCC scenarios Lifemapper uses is below. More detailed descriptions are available on the IPCC website.
B1: a convergent world with the same global population as in the A1 storyline but with rapid changes in economic structures toward a service and information economy, with reductions in materials intensity, and the introduction of clean and resource efficient technologies.
A1B: a future world of very rapid economic growth, global population that peaks in mid-century and declines thereafter, and rapid introduction of new and more efficient technologies.
A2: a very heterogeneous world with continuously increasing global population and regionally oriented economic growth that is more fragmented and slower than in other storylines.
IPCC
Scenario 		Population
Growth Rate 		Energy Use
Per Person 		Proportion of
Clean Energy 		CO2 Emissions
by 2100
B1 lower lower higher 983 Gt
A1B lower higher higher 1499 Gt
A2 higher lower lower 1862 Gt
Upload a point data set or choose species occurrence data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
Lifemapper can only accept files with an EPSG code of 4326 through the website. This is the code for unprojected data, with latitude and longitude measured in decimal degrees. If you wish to calculate models with projected data, download our QGIS-Lifemapper plugin or access our webservices programmatically.
Enter the first 3 letters of a species name, then choose a species from the list of names that appears.
Click to view images of the species in Google Images
Click to view the occurrence data in Google Earth (You must have Google Earth installed on your computer)
Occurrence Points will display on the map:
Click on a point to view the associated metadata
We can accept points as either a CSV or shapefile formats. Shapefile must be zipped into a single zip file.

If you wish to upload points in CSV format, it is strongly recommended that you include a header row in your CSV file. If you do not include a header row, then the minimum required fields will be assumed (localId, longitude, latitude) Sample Minimum CSV Points. CSV Sample
The algorithms used in the Lifemapper Species Distribution web application use default parameters. If you wish to modify algorithm parameters, download our QGIS-Lifemapper plugin or access our webservices programmatically. More information about algorithms can be found here.
Models computed on the Lifemapper website are limited to using low resolution (10-15 minute) observed climate layer sets provided by the Climate Research Unit (CRU) and predicted future climate layers provided by Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research (Hadley). If you wish to use Lifemapper-provided high resolution layers, or your own environmental layers, download our QGIS-Lifemapper plugin or access our webservices programmatically.

Projected species distributions are organized by the algorithm used to create a model, then the climate scenario that model was applied to. The climate scenario is listed with the name of the modeling center that provided the predicted climate data, the IPCC scenario used for the prediction, and the approximate year the climate is predicted for, as in the following example:
CRU: The Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia provides climate layers based on Observed Climate information. More information can be found on the CRU Website.
Hadley: The Met Office Hadley Centre is one of the UK’s foremost climate change research centres. More information can be found on the Hadley website.
A simplified description and comparison of the IPCC scenarios Lifemapper uses is below. More detailed descriptions are available on the IPCC website.
A2: a very heterogeneous world with continuously increasing global population and regionally oriented economic growth that is more fragmented and slower than in other storylines.
A1B: a future world of very rapid economic growth, global population that peaks in mid-century and declines thereafter, and rapid introduction of new and more efficient technologies.
B1: a convergent world with the same global population as in the A1 storyline but with rapid changes in economic structures toward a service and information economy, with reductions in materials intensity, and the introduction of clean and resource efficient technologies.
IPCC
Scenario 		Population
Growth Rate 		Energy Use
Per Person 		Proportion of
Clean Energy 		CO2 Emissions
by 2100
B1 lower lower higher 983 Gt
A1B lower higher higher 1499 Gt
A2 higher lower lower 1862 Gt
Experiments can take several minutes to complete based on the number of species occurrence points and number of jobs in the Lifemapper pipeline. Lifemapper will send you an email when your experiment is submitted as well as when it is complete so you may return to an Experiments web page and explore your projections.
Lifemapper may only use climate layers that include an EPSG of 4326.
Enter the Experiment Number of an Existing Experiment.
Click the Expand button to view Experiment details.
Click the Remove button to remove the Experiment from the list.
Experiment Status Buttons
Initialize Initialize
Processing Processing
Error Error
Invalid Experiment Number Invalid Experiment Number
Enter the Experiment Number of an Existing Experiment.
Click the Expand button to view Experiment details.
Click the Remove button to remove the Experiment from the list.
Experiment Status Buttons
Initialize Initialize
Processing Processing
Error Error
Invalid Experiment Number Invalid Experiment Number
Please choose a CSV
or zipped shapefile to upload.
OK
There was an error uploading your file.
Please use a csv or zipped shapefile.

OK Help
Species ArchiveClimate LayersNew ExperimentMy Experiments