Relative Magnitude of Fragmentation (RMF)

We use an existing spatially contiguous, global remote-sensing data product (i.e. the 27-year annual ESA CCI land cover maps which can be categorized as an EBV ‘Ecosystem Distribution’) to derive an annual (27 year) time-series of the Relative Magnitude of Fragmentation (RMF) at a global scale and with a spatial resolution of 300m. From this derived EBV data product, we can calculate a RMF indicator of ecosystem degradation, i.e. the change, and rate of change, in fragmentation of ecosystems (e.g. forests) over the last 27 years. This can provide important information for measuring biodiversity change as it directly links to the draft monitoring framework of the zero draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), especially Draft 2050 Goal 1 and the related Draft 2030 Target 1 (see Annex of the zero draft).