NSW Neighbourhood Habitat Intactness (NHI) Index

##__What is the NSW Neighbourhood Habitat Intactness (NHI) Index?__\r\nThe NSW Neighbourhood Habitat Intactness (NHI) Index measures the amount and quality of terrestrial habitat connected to each location in NSW weighted by how well connected it is to that location. For a given location, a high NHI value indicates that there is high availability of connected habitat (both quantity and quality) across a range of ecological scales. Such areas are expected to provide resources that support native species to a greater degree than areas with low NHI. The NHI Index is estimated for all locations across New South Wales and can be averaged across a region to provide an estimate of the habitat integrity for that region. The NSW NHI Index is a multi-scale application of the neighbourhood habitat area analysis (See the NSW NHI Index Information Sheet in the 'Data and Resources' section for further details).\r\n\r\n##__How are the data created?__\r\nThe NSW NHI Index is created using the NSW Habitat Intactness (HI) Index as an input to a neighbourhood habitat area analysis performed across multiple spatial resolutions to generalise the measure across a range of ecological scales and to account for potential spatial biases. Analysis outputs are then combined by averaging across spatial scales. The NSW HI Index combines direct measures of remotely sensed vegetation cover with measures inferred from other data sources using expert input to estimate terrestrial habitat intactness (See the [NSW HI Index Information Sheet](https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/nsw-habitat-intactness-index) for further details). \r\n\r\n##__What data are available?__\r\nData are initially available annually from 2017, currently with a two-year time lag for the most recent layer due to the availability of NSW HI Index inputs. Data for other periods may be generated as needed. Layers provide near-complete statewide coverage but are limited by the NSW HI Index inputs available at the time of each assessment, and their accuracy, currency and completeness.\r\n\r\nData details: \r\n\r\n* Data type: raster, GeoTIFF, 32bit floating point\r\n* CRS: EPSG:3577 - GDA94 / Australian Albers \r\n* Pixel size: 90 x 90m\r\n* Pixel values: 0.0 (lowest NHI) to 1.0 (highest NHI)\r\n* Null value: -9999\r\n\r\n##__What can the data be used for?__\r\nThe NSW Neighbourhood Habitat Intactness (NHI) Index currently underpins the Biodiversity Indicator Program’s ecological carrying capacity of terrestrial habitat indicator that’s reported in the [NSW Biodiversity Outlook Report](https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/biodiversity/biodiversity-indicator-program/results-from-the-biodiversity-indicator-program). The NSW NHI Index, as used in the BIP, is an estimate of the ability of terrestrial habitat to support the persistence of biodiversity based on the quality and connectivity of a location and its surroundings. \r\n\r\nThe NSW NHI Index has supported state and regional biodiversity assessments including regional conservation initiatives, habitat connectivity, native vegetation management, threatened species and climate impact assessments. The NSW NHI Index helps to inform NSW Saving our Species investment in landscape managed species. \r\n\r\nThe NSW NHI Index has been used to measure connectivity ([Love et al. 2020](https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/publications/integrated-model-data-fusion-approach-measuring-habitat-condition-ecological-integrity-reporting)), across structurally distinct habitat types and at various spatial resolutions, for jurisdictional reporting, and in the context of climate-induced shifts to environmental niches ([Drielsma et al. 2022](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380021003963?via%3Dihub)). \r\n\r\nThe methods and tools underpinning the NSW NHI Index have been used beyond NSW DCCEEW with use in other state and federal governments and research programs. Examples include the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s National Connectivity Index 2.0, the Australian Clean Energy Regulator’s Nature Repair Market, and the Queensland Government Spatial Biocondition method.\r\n\r\n##__新南威尔士州邻里栖息地完整度（Neighbourhood Habitat Intactness, NHI）指数是什么？__ 新南威尔士州NHI指数用于衡量该州内各点位周边连通陆地栖息地的数量与质量，权重基于栖息地与对应点位的连通程度。对于特定点位而言，较高的NHI值意味着该点位周边多生态尺度下连通栖息地的数量与质量均处于较高水平。此类区域相较NHI值较低的区域，能够为本土物种提供更为充足的生存资源。该指数可覆盖新南威尔士州全域所有点位进行测算，也可针对特定区域取平均值，以表征该区域的栖息地完整性水平。新南威尔士州NHI指数是邻里栖息地面积分析的多尺度应用（详细信息请参阅“数据与资源”板块中的《新南威尔士州NHI指数信息手册》）。 ##__数据生成方式__ 新南威尔士州NHI指数以新南威尔士州栖息地完整度（Habitat Intactness, HI）指数作为输入，开展多空间分辨率下的邻里栖息地面积分析，以在多生态尺度下统一测算标准，并抵消潜在的空间偏差。随后通过对多空间尺度的分析结果取均值，完成最终指数的整合。新南威尔士州HI指数结合了遥感植被覆盖的直接测算数据，以及经专家研判从其他数据源推演得到的指标，以此估算陆地栖息地完整度（详细信息请参阅《新南威尔士州HI指数信息手册》：https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/nsw-habitat-intactness-index）。 ##__可用数据详情__ 该数据自2017年起按年度发布，受限于新南威尔士州HI指数的输入数据可得性，当前最新数据图层存在两年的发布延迟。其他时段的数据可根据需求定制生成。各数据图层可实现近乎全域的覆盖，但受每次评估时可用的新南威尔士州HI指数输入数据限制，其精度、现势性与完整性存在一定约束。 数据细节： * 数据类型：栅格数据、GeoTIFF格式、32位浮点型 * 坐标参考系（CRS）：EPSG:3577 — GDA94 / 澳大利亚阿尔伯斯投影 * 像素尺寸：90米×90米 * 像素取值范围：0.0（NHI最低值）至1.0（NHI最高值） * 空值：-9999 ##__数据应用方向__ 当前，新南威尔士州NHI指数是生物多样性指标计划（Biodiversity Indicator Program, BIP）中陆地栖息地生态承载力指标的核心支撑，该指标已在《新南威尔士州生物多样性展望报告》中发布（报告链接：https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/biodiversity/biodiversity-indicator-program/results-from-the-biodiversity-indicator-program）。该计划中使用的新南威尔士州NHI指数，基于点位及其周边环境的栖息地质量与连通性，估算陆地栖息地维持生物多样性存续的能力。 新南威尔士州NHI指数已支撑多项州级与区域级生物多样性评估工作，包括区域保护行动、栖息地连通性研究、本土植被管理、濒危物种保护以及气候影响评估等。 该指数还可为新南威尔士州“拯救我们的物种”计划中景观管理物种的投资决策提供参考依据。 新南威尔士州NHI指数已被用于多项场景：包括测量不同结构类型栖息地的连通性、多空间分辨率下的连通性指标，用于辖区行政汇报；同时也被应用于气候驱动下生态位变迁的相关研究（Love等，2020：https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/publications/integrated-model-data-fusion-approach-measuring-habitat-condition-ecological-integrity-reporting；Drielsma等，2022：https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380021003963?via%3Dihub）。 支撑新南威尔士州NHI指数的方法与工具，已超出新南威尔士州气候变化、能源、环境与水务局（Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, DCCEEW）的应用范围，被其他州级、联邦政府机构及研究项目采用，例如澳大利亚气候变化、能源、环境与水务局的《国家连通性指数2.0》、澳大利亚清洁能源监管局的“自然修复市场”项目，以及昆士兰州政府的空间生物状况评估方法。