Biodiversity Capacity (BCAP)
A new, scalable approach to holistically measuring nature outcomes
Market ready, backed by decades of scientific research on the relationship between an ecosystem 3D structure and how much life it can support
How it works
Everything starts with vegetation structure
Decades of research have shown strong relationships exist between the structure of an ecosystem's vegetation and the species that live within it
In other words - the more diverse and complex an ecosystem’s plant life is, the greater it’s ability to hold different species of all kinds
Remote sensing helps us capture the structure of ecosystems across millions of acres
Through a combination of satellite imagery and drone-based LiDAR sensors, we measure fine-scale vegetation structure as a reliable proxy for overall biodiversity
On-site measurements are used to validate the correlation between 3D vegetation structure and the diversity of other species
Records by members of the community, supported by camera traps and bioacoustics monitors, strengthen our models, and improve accuracy and reliability
Finally, measurements are compared with reference and control sites in order to understand the impact of interventions on a given project site
BCAP Advantages
Implementing BCAP measurement at scale is a revolutionary unlock for those looking to understand how changes in land use and other interventions impact biodiversity.
While we’ve known how to measure biodiversity for a long time, conventional approaches have presented a challenge: they tend to revolve around direct measurements and surveys which are slow, static, expensive, cover tiny areas often limited to fractions of an acre, and require a village of highly specialized technical professionals, limited to a few taxa groups.
BCAP addresses all of these challenges with a combination of remote sensing and digital ground sensors, pairing local knowledge of the land with scientific rigor to deliver market-ready, credible measurements of nature outcomes.
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the diversity of all life on Earth. An area with high biodiversity has both more species and individuals of each species relative to somewhere with low biodiversity. For example, old growth rainforests have high biodiversity levels; monoculture farmlands tend to have low biodiversity levels.
What is structural diversity and why is it useful?
Structural diversity refers to the physical complexity of an ecosystem, especially in terms of its three-dimensional features like height, layering, and spatial variation in vegetation. It includes elements such as: canopy height and layering (e.g., tall trees, understory shrubs, ground cover), branch density and arrangement, openings or gaps in the canopy. Variations in plant types and sizes across horizontal and vertical space.
In simple terms, it’s about how “stacked” and “varied” the physical layout of an ecosystem is. Greater structural diversity typically means more ecological niches, which can support more species, especially those that don’t shape the structure themselves (like many birds, insects, and small mammals). That’s why it’s a useful proxy for estimating biodiversity capacity.
Why doesn’t BCAP rely on species counts?
By looking at ecosystems holistically and functionally rather than on identifying specific species as benchmarks, we avoid pitfalls that can come from focusing on optimizing single species. BCAP is complementary with projects focused on umbrella or frontier species by ensuring there’s active monitoring for the desired outcome of greater biodiversity, not proliferation of single species.
Additionally, this is a more scalable and cost-efficient way to ensure that biodiversity measurements can be made by key market players. By leveraging remote sensing, BCAP is a cost effective and accurate proxy for nature that can be scaled across millions of acres within a given ecosystem type, as it simplifies the number of tools and time required to assess the impact of an intervention on biodiversity. In contrast, conventional methods use dozens of different instruments that often are limited to measuring less than an acre at a time.
How does EarthAcre use BCAP?
EarthAcre uses BCAP to provide funders with a proven, scientific and cost-efficient way to measure the impact of nature finance, and for project developers to understand the effectiveness of their interventions and use of funds. It is used in conjunction with EarthAcre's system of tracking direct payments to the individuals contributing to nature projects.
BCAP allows funders not only to understand the impact of their dollars - it also allows them to visualize how each dollar has contributed to a corresponding outcome. This ensures transparency and aligns incentives for all parties, derisking capital deployed and amplifying impact.
How does BCAP fit in with traditional measures of biodiversity?
BCAP is compatible with other widespread scientific indicators on biodiversity, such as the Shannon diversity Index. Contact us to learn more.
Where does BCAP research come from?
EarthAcre works closely with the Davies lab at Harvard University. Listen to Professor Davies about BCAP: