geoenv 0.2.1

A Python library that links geographic coordinates to environmental properties at a global scale.

geoenv

Map geometries to environmental semantics

geoenv is a Python library that maps geospatial geometries, such as points and polygons, to standardized environmental terms. It’s like reverse geocoding, but for environments.

Motivation

Finding datasets based on their environmental context is a challenge in data synthesis. The process often relies on vague or inconsistent metadata. This variability presents a barrier to reliable, large-scale analysis due to time lost in data discovery and incomplete search results.

geoenv addresses this by using a dataset's originating location as a consistent and objective starting point. It programmatically maps the geometry of this location to standardized environmental terms, providing a scalable and repeatable method for generating interoperable metadata. This approach enriches datasets with uniform, semantic metadata, making them easier to discover, query, and integrate at scale.

Key Features

• Automated Semantic Annotation: Supplements inconsistent, manual descriptions with standardized environmental terms from controlled vocabularies.
• Structured, Interoperable Output: Generates GeoJSON objects enriched with formal terms from ENVO (by default).
• Global Coverage: Provides worldwide coverage for terrestrial, coastal, and marine environments using high-resolution data sources.
• Extensible: Designed to accommodate new data sources or vocabularies for specific research needs.

Know of a useful data source or vocabulary? Suggest it!

Quick Start

Install from PyPI:

pip install geoenv

Resolve a point on land:

from geoenv.data_sources import WorldTerrestrialEcosystems
from geoenv.geometry import Geometry
from geoenv.resolver import Resolver

# Define a geometry in GeoJSON format (Point or Polygon)
geometry = Geometry(
    {
        "type": "Point",
        "coordinates": [
            -122.622364,
            37.905931
        ]
    }
)

# Configure the resolver with a data source (there can be multiple)
resolver = Resolver(data_source=[WorldTerrestrialEcosystems()])

# Resolve the geometry to environmental descriptions
response = resolver.get_environment(geometry)

The response is a GeoJSON Feature with structured environments mapped to ENVO (by default):

{
  "type": "Feature",
  "identifier": null,
  "geometry": {
    "type": "Point",
    "coordinates": [
      -122.622364,
      37.905931
    ]
  },
  "properties": {
    "description": null,
    "environment": [
      {
        "type": "Environment",
        "dataSource": {
          "identifier": "https://doi.org/10.5066/P9DO61LP",
          "name": "WorldTerrestrialEcosystems"
        },
        "dateCreated": "2025-03-07 15:53:09",
        "properties": {
          "temperature": "Warm Temperate",
          "moisture": "Moist",
          "landCover": "Cropland",
          "landForm": "Mountains",
          "climate": "Warm Temperate Moist",
          "ecosystem": "Warm Temperate Moist Cropland on Mountains"
        },
        "mappedProperties": [
          {
            "label": "temperate",
            "uri": "http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_01000206"
          },
          {
            "label": "humid air",
            "uri": "http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_01000828"
          },
          {
            "label": "area of cropland",
            "uri": "http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_01000892"
          },
          {
            "label": "mountain range",
            "uri": "http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_00000080"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Related Projects

The Global Ecosystems Atlas is a project that provides a comprehensive, harmonized open resource on the world's ecosystems. It standardizes diverse geospatial datasets by mapping them to the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology, a hierarchical classification of environments.

Contributing

We welcome contributions! If you know of a useful data source or vocabulary, and have ideas for new features, or find a bug, please open an issue to start a discussion.

License

This project is licensed under the terms of the MIT license.