InVEST models

Carbon

Estimates the current amount of carbon stored in a landscape and values the amount of sequestered carbon over time.

Carbon Edge Effect

Extends the approach of the InVEST carbon model to account for forest carbon stock degradation due to the creation of forest edges.

Coastal Blue Carbon

Quantifies the value of carbon storage and sequestration services provided by coastal ecosystems.

Coastal Vulnerability

Uses geophysical and natural habitat characteristics of coastal landscapes to compare their exposure to erosion and flooding in severe weather.

Crop Pollination

Estimates insect pollinator nest sites, floral resources, and flight ranges to derive an index of pollinator abundance on each cell on a landscape.

Crop Production

Estimate crop yield and nutrient value for a fixed set of crops, derived from user-supplied landcover information.

Habitat Quality

Uses habitat quality and rarity as proxies to represent the biodiversity of a landscape, estimating the extent of habitat and vegetation types across a landscape, and their state of degradation.

Habitat Risk Assessment

Evaluates risks posed to coastal and marine habitats in terms of exposure to human activities and the habitat-specific consequence of that exposure for delivery of ecosystem services.

Offshore Wind Energy

Measures the electricity generation potential of wind over ocean and large lake surfaces.

Recreation

Predicts the spread of person-days of recreation, based on the locations of natural habitats and other features that factor into people’s decisions about where to recreate.

Reservoir Hydropower Production (Water Yield)

Estimates the annual average quantity of water produced by a watershed. Then estimates the value of the water yield for reservoir hydropower production.

Scenic Quality

Assesses the visual quality of a landscape based on sited or planned features that impact visual quality.

Seasonal Water Yield

Estimates the amount of water produced by a watershed, arriving in streams over the course of a year.

Sediment Retention

Estimates the capacity of a land parcel to retain sediment by using information on geomorphology, climate, vegetative coverage and management practices.

Urban Cooling

Calculates an index of heat mitigation based on shade, evapotranspiration, and albedo, as well as distance from cooling islands (e.g. parks).

Urban Flood Risk Mitigation

Calculates runoff reduction, i.e. the amount of runoff retained per pixel compared to the storm volume. And, for each watershed, the potential economic damage.

Urban Mental Health

Assesses how changes in urban greening may influence population-level mental health outcomes and reduce the societal costs associated with mental disorders.

Urban Nature Access

Allows for examination of access to the recreational, social, psychological, and physical health benefits of nature.

Urban Stormwater Retention

Provides information on two ecosystem services related to stormwater management: runoff retention, and groundwater recharge.

Water Purification

Maps nutrient sources from watersheds and their transport to the stream.

Wave Energy

Measures and values the electricity generation potential of ocean waves.