Guide

Nexstrata maps where species occur and models where they might. It uses Google Earth Engine to:

• Sample environmental data at each observation's location and date
• Map computed layers as interactive tiles
• Analyze patterns through charts and statistics

It works with any presence-point data: iNaturalist, GBIF, or your own uploads.

Coverage The built-in dataset covers the Colorado Front Range and adjacent foothills (roughly 36–41 °N, 102–109 °W). Observations outside that area are present but environmental enrichment (NDVI, soil moisture, elevation bands) is only calibrated for Colorado.

Note Observation records are opportunistic, not systematic surveys. Record density reflects observer effort as much as actual occurrence. Each view states whether it corrects for this bias.

Quick start

1. Open the Map. Points show observations, colored by environmental similarity.
2. Use Points to change what colors and sizes mean.
3. Try Heatmap to see density patterns in a grid.
4. Add Layers like terrain or weather. Change the Basemap underneath.
5. Filter data in Data → Filters—applies everywhere at once.
6. Click any point to see its full details.

What you can do

Explore existing data or add your own:

• Run an enrichment job adds environmental data to your own points (membership feature). See Pipeline jobs.
• Publish your own layer computes custom data in Earth Engine and displays it on the map.

Guide sections

Help on any control

Every control has a small ? button. Hover for a quick tip, click for the full explanation in the Option reference.