DATA VISUALISATION • COMPUTATION DESIGN • UI/UX
THE DYING PLANET
A computation design centred project utilising data visualisations and interpretations produced through Javascript, Html and CSS.
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Explore the trends and changes in the global and regional wildlife population. Using the Living Planet Index, a metric that measures the state of global biological diversity based on population trends of species from different continents around the world.
Try interacting with the data visualisations below
Through the findings, we discover the driving causes behind the change in wildlife populations over the years. Heightening our awareness of these issues can help support the conservation efforts put in place to protect our wildlife populations and save the planet.
There are two datasets in total- one from the Living Planet Index which explores the changes in wildlife population density in different regions of the world throughout the years, while the other dataset Threats To Wildlife, acts as a supporting data to reveal the different reasons behind the changes in wildlife populations.
An experiential artefact that explores the effects of human activities on wildlife populations and the Earth.
The artefact is based on the insights and conclusions that were derived from both datasets - the Living Planet Index and Threats To Wildlife. The artefact visualises the idea of 'The Dying Planet' through an interactive experience that raises awareness of the fragile wildlife population on Earth. The artefact is made up of ellipses that come together to create a sphere that represents the planet, Earth. The individual ellipses represent each wildlife species that forms life on Earth.
The artefact's interactions reflect the effects of human activities on the wildlife population. When the mouse is moved, the ellipses forming the planet scatters away, leaving Earth destroyed and lost. However, if the mouse stays put, the ellipses rebuild the shape of the planet again. This interaction visualises the effects of the threats to wildlife. In this sense, the scale of movement by the mouse symbolises the severity of destruction made. These threats destroy life on Earth, but if the threats are reduced or stopped, wildlife populations can repopulate Earth again. If the mouse is pressed, the ellipses will be colourised to symbolise a healthy and idealised state of Earth. Metaphorically, this interaction portrays how supporting wildlife conservation efforts, brings back life to the once dull-looking planet. When the mouse is let go, colour vanishes from the Earth depicting the absence of wildlife protection, as a result our wildlife populations are susceptible to destruction again.
The data is visualised through a map using population density as a way to portray the LPI percentages in a visual format. Each continent is made up of ellipses that represent the wildlife population present in the region. As the user moves the mouse across the screen, the map displays the changes in wildlife population density across the different years. We can see from the map visualisation some continents are less dense while others are much more crowded with ellipses, which provides a distinct visual comparison between masses from different parts of the world.
In the above line graph, we see an overview of the data from 1970 to 2016. The LPI value is indexed at 100% for all continents in 1970, and any value above or below 100% would signify an increase or decrease respectively. Latin America has seen the most severe decline of any region. It experienced an average decline of 94% across its studied populations. For North America, it experienced a steady average decline of one-third (33%) through the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. In fact, the average trend has slightly increased after the millennium.
Africa is the only continent with a significant number of large mammals left. Unfortunately, it has seen a dramatic decline of two-thirds (65%) since 1970. Europe has seen the smallest decline of all of the continents. An average decline of 24% since 1970. This paints a less severe picture for biodiversity in Europe and is attributed in part to successful conservation efforts. For Asia-Pacific, it has experienced an average decline of 45% since 1970. But there is a slight change in trend in 2010, with the average slightly increasing.
Data on Threats To Wildlife is conceptualised through illustrations of barren trees to reflect the devastating effects it has on nature and wildlife species.
Overexploitation and agriculture were responsible for 75% of all plant, amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal species that have gone extinct since 1500 AD. In fact, it has been driving mammals to extinction for a millennia. Overexploitation is the still the biggest threat till today. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of the studied species – that’s 6,241 out of 8,688 of them – were under pressure from hunting, fishing or logging of forests.
Agriculture – which includes arable farming, livestock, timber plantations and aquaculture – was also a massive threat, affecting nearly two-thirds (62%) of the wildlife species. Furthermore, the sum of all affected species in the graph adds up to greater than total of 8,688 species that were studied. This is because more than 80% of wildlife species are at risk to more than one of type of threat. For instance, species that are affected by Urban Development are also under the threat of Deforestation and Agriculture due to the clearance of land for infrastracture development.
APP
Translated The Dying Planet website to an app, where users are able to access through mobile. The app takes on a more playful and engaging format. It features contact forms and pages that educates and spreads awareness about wildlife conservation. The app involves more user interactivity with the project and with the supporting organisations such as WWF, that the data is targeting.
