InVEST User Guide

Editors: Richard Sharp, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, Spencer Wood, Anne Guerry, Heather Tallis, Taylor Ricketts.

Contributing Authors: Erik Nelson, Driss Ennaanay, Stacie Wolny, Nasser Olwero, Kari Vigerstol, Derric Pennington, Guillermo Mendoza, Juliann Aukema, John Foster, Jessica Forrest, Dick Cameron, Katie Arkema, Eric Lonsdorf, Christina Kennedy, Gregory Verutes, Chong-Ki Kim, Gregory Guannel, Michael Papenfus, Jodie Toft, Matthew Marsik, Joey Bernhardt, Robert Griffin, Kathryn Glowinski, Nicholas Chaumont, Adam Perelman, Martin Lacayo, Lisa Mandle, Perrine Hamel, Adrian L. Vogl, Lauren Rogers, Will Bierbower, Douglas Denu, James Douglass.

Citation: Sharp, R., Tallis, H.T., Ricketts, T., Guerry, A.D., Wood, S.A., Chaplin-Kramer, R., Nelson, E., Ennaanay, D., Wolny, S., Olwero, N., Vigerstol, K., Pennington, D., Mendoza, G., Aukema, J., Foster, J., Forrest, J., Cameron, D., Arkema, K., Lonsdorf, E., Kennedy, C., Verutes, G., Kim, C.K., Guannel, G., Papenfus, M., Toft, J., Marsik, M., Bernhardt, J., Griffin, R., Glowinski, K., Chaumont, N., Perelman, A., Lacayo, M. Mandle, L., Hamel, P., Vogl, A.L., Rogers, L., Bierbower, W., Denu, D., and Douglass, J. 2016. InVEST +VERSION+ User’s Guide. The Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, University of Minnesota, The Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund.

Introduction

• Data Requirements and Outputs Summary Table
• Why We Need Tools to Map and Value Ecosystem Services
  • Introduction
  • Who should use InVEST?
  • Introduction to InVEST
  • Using InVEST to Inform Decisions
  • A work in progress
  • This guide
• Getting Started
  • Installing InVEST and sample data on your Windows computer
  • Using sample data
  • Formatting your data
  • Running the models
  • Support information
  • Reporting errors
  • Working with the DEM
  • Installing InVEST and sample data on your Mac
  • Resources

InVEST Models

Supporting Ecosystem Services:

• Habitat Quality
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • References
• Habitat Risk Assessment
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Marine Water Quality
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • Case Example Illustrating Model Inputs and Results
  • References
• Pollinator Abundance: Crop Pollination
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Table of Variables
  • Appendix: Data Sources
  • References

Final Ecosystem Services:

• Forest Carbon Edge Effect Model
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The model
  • Data needs
  • Running the model
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Carbon Storage and Sequestration: Climate Regulation
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Data Sources
  • References
• Coastal Blue Carbon
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Running the InVEST Model
  • Example Use-Case
  • References
• Water Yield: Reservoir Hydropower Production
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix A: Data Sources
  • Appendix B: Calibration of Water Yield Model
  • References
• Nutrient Delivery Ratio model
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Running the Model
  • Appendix: Data sources
  • References
• Sediment Delivery Ratio model
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Appendix 1: Data Sources
  • Appendix 2: Representation of Additional Sources and Sinks of Sediment
  • References
• Unobstructed Views: Scenic Quality Provision
  • Summary
  • Scenic Quality Standalone Beta
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • References
• Visitation: Recreation and Tourism
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Wave Energy Production
  • Summary
  • Wave Energy 3.0 Beta
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • Case Example Illustrating Results
  • Appendix A
  • References
• Offshore Wind Energy Production
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Data Sources
  • Running the Model
  • References
• Marine Finfish Aquacultural Production
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Fisheries
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Scenarios
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Model Details and Guidance
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Crop Production
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs/Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Seasonal water yield model
  • Summary
  • Introduction: value attribution for individual parcels in a landscape
  • How it works
  • Local recharge (L)
  • Attribution of recharge
  • Advanced model options
  • Data needs
  • Data sources and guidance for parameter selection
  • Interpreting outputs
  • References:
  • Appendix: \({\mathbf{\alpha},\mathbf{\beta}}_{\mathbf{i}},\)and γ parameters definition and alternative values
  • In practice

Tools to Facilitate Ecosystem Service Analyses:

• Overlap Analysis Model
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix A
  • References
• Coastal Vulnerability Model
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting results
  • Appendix A
  • Appendix B
  • References
• InVEST GLOBIO Model
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The model
  • Data needs
  • Running the model
  • Interpreting Results
  • References

Supporting Tools

• RouteDEM
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • Tool Inputs
  • References
• DelineateIT
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • Tool Inputs
  • Tool Outputs
  • References
• Scenario Generator
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
  • Appendix
• Scenario Generator: Proximity Based
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The model
  • Data needs
  • Running the model
  • Interpreting Results
  • Sample Script
• InVEST Scripting Guide and API
  • Summary
  • Introduction

Acknowledgements

• Acknowledgements
  • Data sources
  • Individuals and organizations

PDF Version of the User’s Guide

Download a pdf version of the InVEST documentation: Download PDF.