* Metric Name: Wildlife Species Richness   

* Tier: 2  

* Data Vintage: 2023  

* Unit Of Measure: Number of species

Native species richness is estimated based on high suitability reproductive
habitat for a given species. Reproductive habitat is used to represent
suitability because it is critical for species persistence and for most native
species it has the most limited requirements. If a habitat is identified as
high for a given species, it is considered suitable (1), and habitat
identified as moderate, low or not suitable, it is considered unsuitable (0).
Species richness values are used as a relative measure of biodiversity value;
as such, areas with lower species richness based on these criteria may still
have high biodiversity value, but not as high as areas with higher richness
values. The number of native species per spatial unit (30m pixel) presented as
simply the total number; this can be useful for assessing change in
number/composition over space. These values are specific to the Central Coast
species and footprint for this kit.

* Creation Method: Generated using the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships model developed and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. CWHR habitat values are based on the FVEG vegetation data that has been updated. Species are considered present, and habitats considered suitable for each 30m cell for which the canopy cover-size-vegetation combination have been deemed highly suitable for the reproduction of that species in the California Wildlife Habitat Relationship database.  

* Credits: CDFW \--California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) CALFIRE \--Department of Forestry and Fire Protection California Department of Fish and Wildlife CWHR version 9.0 (CDFW); 2014