Skip to content

Usage Guide

This guide covers all features and functionality of Species Explorer.

Interface Overview

The Species Explorer dialog has three main sections:

  1. Search Area - Enter species names and search
  2. Results List - Browse matching species
  3. Action Buttons - Fetch data or clear results

Searching for Species

Scientific Names

Enter the full or partial scientific name:

  • Full name: Panthera leo
  • Genus only: Panthera
  • Partial: leo

Common Names

Many species can be found by common name:

  • lion
  • african elephant
  • blue whale

Search Tips

Best Practices

  • Scientific names provide more accurate results
  • GBIF may have multiple entries for synonyms
  • Check the taxonomy to verify you have the correct species

Fetching Occurrence Data

Process

When you click Fetch:

  1. Species Explorer queries the GBIF API
  2. Occurrence records are downloaded
  3. A point layer is created in QGIS
  4. Default styling is applied

Data Limits

GBIF may return thousands of records. Consider:

  • Large datasets may take time to download
  • Memory usage increases with record count
  • You can filter data later in QGIS

Working with Results

Layer Structure

Each occurrence layer includes:

Field Type Description
gbifID Integer Unique identifier
scientificName String Full scientific name
decimalLatitude Float Latitude
decimalLongitude Float Longitude
eventDate String Observation date
basisOfRecord String Record type
countryCode String ISO country code
institutionCode String Data provider

Styling

The default style uses:

  • Point markers with species-appropriate colors
  • Clustering for dense areas
  • Labels on hover

You can customize styling using standard QGIS tools.

Filtering

Filter your data using:

  • Attribute Table filters
  • Select by Expression
  • Definition Queries

Example expression to filter recent records: 

"eventDate" > '2020-01-01'

Export Options

Export occurrence data to:

  • Shapefile - For GIS compatibility
  • GeoPackage - Modern, recommended format
  • CSV - For spreadsheet analysis
  • GeoJSON - For web applications

Advanced Usage

Combining with Other Data

Species occurrence data works well with:

  • Protected Areas - Assess species within reserves
  • Climate Data - Model species distributions
  • Land Cover - Analyze habitat preferences
  • Elevation - Understand altitudinal ranges

Spatial Analysis

Use QGIS tools for:

  • Heatmaps - Visualize occurrence density
  • Kernel Density - Estimate species density
  • Point Pattern Analysis - Analyze distribution patterns
  • Species Richness - Count species per area

Troubleshooting

No Results Found

  • Check spelling of species name
  • Try alternative names or synonyms
  • Use scientific name instead of common name

Missing Coordinates

Some GBIF records lack coordinates. These are filtered out during import.

Slow Downloads

  • Large datasets take time
  • Check internet connection
  • GBIF API may be under high load

Made with 💗 by Kartoza | Donate | GitHub