# The BioScore

Every Realm on the Guardians of Earth platform has a BioScore. \
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The BioScore is a composite score designed to reflect the "BioCultural" health of a particular location. Both social and ecological indicators are included.\
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**If you share ANY insights from ANY element of these formulae, please make sure to credit Guardians of Earth (GuardiansofEarth.io).**\
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**THIS IS THE LATEST *****OPERATING***** ITERATION - (9 July, 2025)**

We believe there is no single, end-all formula for BioCultural health. If anyone suggests they have a universal formula (or even a "standard"), we believe it will always be disputed and likely misrepresent local environments.\
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The BioScore formula on Guardians of Earth, therefore, is continually updating as its network of communities grows and pursues the mission of connecting people to the value of place.\
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The BioScore is constantly under review by the community, and GoE is always [accepting suggestions for improvement](https://www.guardiansofearth.io/contactus). If you contact us, we will always get back to you. \
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Below is the latest **operating** iteration of the BioScore. Newer iterations are under review, but have not been implemented - either because they haven't undergone enough rigorous review, or the engineers haven't yet coded them. \
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Upgrades are published here:\
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The BioScore uses a multi-dimensional approach to analyse the location defined as defined by the boundaries on the map. These are:\
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1\. Species Diversity Score\
2\. Monitoring Score (data quantity)\
3\. BioValue (data quality)\
4\. Community Score (community engagement)\
5\. Evidence score (evidence of restoration and biocultural health)\
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**Analysis Techniques**

Data is analyzed by comparing conditions in the realm with surrounding areas that are 5 and 12.5 times the size of the realm, centered around it, to identify trends in biodiversity and human interaction with the ecosystem. This comparative intents to create a fairer baseline metric. \
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**Overall Score**

<figure><img src="https://47637508-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkpzZFcCLhH6IANsJ3B2F%2Fuploads%2FswSvCXgzdC1QwGwCSF89%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=706108d0-bfe2-4122-b73f-9e4483e05707" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**1. Species Diversity Score**\
Measures species recorded in the Realm relative to observations made, region, and time. \ <br>

<figure><img src="https://47637508-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkpzZFcCLhH6IANsJ3B2F%2Fuploads%2FQvETtMZL8c6yizoqxh9s%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=2778591f-3af9-4f0d-9390-cd782ab9d45c" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Where: \
Sr = Species spotted in realm Or = Total observations in realm \
S5r = Total species in a quadrilateral area that is 5x the size of the realm \
S12.5r = Total species in a quadrilateral area that is 12.5x the size of the realm\
Sthis\_year​ = Species spotted in realm this year\
Slast\_2\_years​ = Species spotted in realm in the last two years \
cs = species constant (= 1) \
cso= species per observation constant (= 100) \
cls = locality species constant (= 500) \
cgr = greater region species constant (= 1000) \
ccy = current year species constant (= 50) \
cst = species trend constant (= 100)

Notes: \
• This year = Last 12 months \
• Last two years = Last 24 months

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**2. Monitoring Score (data quantity)**\
Measures the amount of data available to the Realm relative to region and time. <br>

<figure><img src="https://47637508-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkpzZFcCLhH6IANsJ3B2F%2Fuploads%2F3UG94w5Ibr0UT11gEkAg%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3236f253-18dd-484a-868d-7e9525c2e62b" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Where:\
Or = Total observations in realm ​\
O5r = Total observations in a 5x area \
O12.5r = Total observations in a quadrilateral area that is 12.5x the size of the realm \
Othis\_year​ = Observations in realm this year \
Olast\_2\_years​ = Observations in realm in the last two years \
co = observations constant (= 1) \
clo = locality observations constant (= 500) \
cgro = greater region observations constant (= 1000) \
cyo = current year observations constant (= 50) \
cot = observations trend constant (= 100)<br>

**3. BioValue (data quality)**\
Measures the quality of the data provided, based on scoring of the data by community experts. For example, data verified by proven experts, whether it's gone through a blind peer review system, whether it has image evidence, etc., will score higher than non peer reviewed data, etc. &#x20;

<figure><img src="https://47637508-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkpzZFcCLhH6IANsJ3B2F%2Fuploads%2FWOH2r9sRshj5ANKXfLFP%2Fbioscore%20formula.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c34d12c4-900f-45fe-9607-9f55d44dd7fc" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Where:\
caos = average observations score constant = 0 if Observations are 0\
Otherwise the following scores:\
\- Open social network with image and identification = 20\
\- "Research grade" via social network (not blind) = 100\
\- "Expert valued" - Scaled based on blind peer review scoring of "data value" by proven taxonomy expertise within a category (see [Oracle of Life](https://bioexpertise.org))\
lowest (e.g. commonly recorded species of low value) = 20\~\
highest (e.g. unique species and indicator of environmental health) = 800\~\
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**4. Community Score (community engagement)**\
Measures the number of people contributing data to the realm relative to the amount of data they contribute per person, relative to region and time.

<figure><img src="https://47637508-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkpzZFcCLhH6IANsJ3B2F%2Fuploads%2FwVjCeFfBJvTvpRiDoTtG%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4d4621f7-9b1c-4282-b54c-4c7b68faff76" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Where:\
Hr = Total number of human observers in realm\
Or = Total observations in realm \
H5r = Total number of human observers in a 5x area \
H12.5r = Total number of human observers in a 12.5x area \
Hthis\_year = Number of human observers this year \
Hlast\_2\_years​ = Number of human observers in the last two years \
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Constants: \
cp = People Constant (=1) \
copp = observations\_per\_person\_constant (=10) \
clp = locality\_people\_constant (=100) \
cgrp = greater\_region\_people\_constant (=50) \
ccyp = urrent\_year\_people\_constant (=50) \
cat = activity\_trend\_constant (=100)

**5. Evidence score (evidence of restoration and biocultural health)**\
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A carefully designed collective valuation methodology, where digital evidence is weighted in favour of local people with stronger connections to the place where the evidence exists. \
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Evidence is awarded "Song Tokens," each worth a score of one.  \
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For details, see [The Song Tokens](https://docs.guardiansofearth.io/goe/goe-and-the-nature-market-in-detail/amplifying-evidence-with-song-tokens).\
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**Overall BioScore**

The above 5 scores are added up to form the BioScore. &#x20;