Nectar Potential (NP) quantifies the amount of nectar produced in vegetated areas of a polygon, expressed in kg of nectar per hectare per year (kg/ha/yr). It is one of the three fundamental indicators of the InVEST Pollinator Model (Natural Capital Project, Stanford University), alongside the Nesting Sites index (NS) and Pollinator Abundance (PA).
Nectar is the primary carbohydrate source for adult pollinators and represents an essential floral resource for sustaining populations of bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. High NP values indicate landscapes rich in floral resources, capable of supporting abundant and diverse pollinator populations, with positive effects on agricultural production and the functioning of natural ecosystems (Ricketts et al., 2008; Klein et al., 2007).
NP integrates with NS and PA in the InVEST model: an area with high nectar potential but few nesting sites (low NS) will not reach optimal Pollinator Abundance (PA); conversely, excellent nesting sites without adequate floral resources equally limit pollinator populations. The optimal combination of NP and NS determines the maximum achievable PA value. NP also feeds the derived calculations for Beekeeping Feasibility and Honey Production.
ESRS alignment: E4-5, AR 37 (biodiversity and ecosystems -- pollinator indicators). Compliant with GRI-101-7-a.
Nectar Potential is calculated using the InVEST methodology (Sharp et al., 2020). Each land cover class present in the polygon is assigned a nectar production value (in kg/ha/yr), weighted by seasonality and vegetation density. The aggregate potential is then computed as the area-weighted mean of all land cover class contributions across the polygon, normalised per hectare and per year.
where each class contribution is in kg/ha/yr, derived from the InVEST model based on land cover type
Data are sourced from the InVEST Pollinator Model (Natural Capital Project, Stanford University) using CORINE Land Cover (EEA) and the 3Bee geo pipeline at 10--100 m resolution.
Unit: kg/ha/yr. Display scale: 0--250 kg/ha/yr.
Gauge. A semicircular arc chart that displays the NP value for the site (ROI) and control area (CA) in kg/ha/yr, with a quality colour scale from A (excellent) to E (critical). Unlike other land cover indicators, NP always uses the vertical layout and does not include a radar button.
Purpose: To immediately visualise how much nectar floral resources are available at the site, compared to the surrounding landscape (control area) as an ecological reference.
Description: The gauge is located in the "Nectar potential" subsection of the Assessment > State of Biodiversity page (ESRS E4-5, AR 37). The semicircular arc is coloured in five quality segments from E (pink, left) to A (green, right). The site value (ROI) is shown as a marker on the arc with the numeric value in kg/ha/yr displayed at the centre. The control area (CA) value appears as smaller text below the central value. A delta badge shows the difference between site and control (green if site exceeds control, red if below). Axis labels show 0 and 250 kg/ha/yr. A year-over-year variation badge shows the percentage change.
145kg/ha/yrNectar Potential
How it's calculated: The displayed value is the area-weighted mean of the nectar contribution of all land cover classes in the polygon, expressed in kg/ha/yr. The site value uses the ROI polygon; the control value uses the surrounding CA polygon.
Note: This indicator is not inverted -- higher values indicate greater nectar potential and better conditions for pollinators. Unlike NS, PA, FA, and MSA indicators (which are multiplied by 100), NP uses absolute kg/ha/yr values.
Legend:
| Level | Range (kg/ha/yr) | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| A (Excellent) | > 200 | ■ #00A67A | Florally very rich landscape; abundant nectar resources throughout the year |
| B (Good) | 110 -- 200 | ■ #00DF80 | Good nectar availability; landscape favourable to pollinators |
| C (Moderate) | 70 -- 110 | ■ #FFD21E | Average availability; some seasonal gaps in floral resources |
| D (Poor) | 35 -- 70 | ■ #FF8B16 | Limited availability; landscape with restricted floral cover |
| E (Critical) | 0 -- 35 | ■ #FF367F | Minimal nectar resources; degraded or intensively cultivated environments |
Interpretation example:
If the gauge shows a site NP of 145 kg/ha/yr (grade B) and a control NP of 82 kg/ha/yr (grade C), the site has significantly better floral cover than the surrounding landscape -- indicating the presence of meadows, hedgerows, or flowering crops that increase nectar resource availability for pollinators.
Highlights Table Row. A column in the multi-site comparison table on the Panoramica page, showing site and control NP values side by side (in kg/ha/yr) for each site in the portfolio.
Purpose: To enable portfolio-level comparison of nectar resource availability across all sites, identifying where floral resources are most abundant or most lacking.
Description: The column header reads "Nectar Potential (SITE/CONTROL)". Each row shows the NP value for the site (ROI) and control area (CA) in kg/ha/yr. The table supports clipboard copying and CSV export. A column tooltip reads: "Measures the area's ability to provide nectar to pollinator species. It represents a fundamental resource for bees and other pollinators, indicating the area's potential to support these important populations."
How it's calculated: Each cell value is the total NP (InVEST area-weighted mean), expressed in kg/ha/yr, for the respective polygon.
Interpretation example:
If one site shows "180 / 90" (site/control) and another shows "28 / 95" (site/control), the first site has abundant nectar resources relative to its landscape, while the second is well below its landscape reference -- signalling the need for floral diversification interventions.
Assessment Sidebar Row. A labelled row in the E4 Biodiversity category group in the assessment sidebar, showing NP grade badges for site and control.
Purpose: To provide an at-a-glance NP quality indicator across all assessment pages without requiring navigation to the dedicated Nectar Potential section.
Description: This row appears under "E4 | Biodiversity" in the left sidebar of all seven assessment pages (State of biodiversity, Land use, Microclimate, Urbanization, Risks, Sensors, Double materiality). The label reads "NP site". Coloured grade badges for Site and Control are displayed next to the label.
How it's calculated: The badge colour corresponds to the A--E quality grade derived from the NP score thresholds (see legend in the gauge section above).
Interpretation example:
If the sidebar shows an orange badge (D) for the site and a yellow badge (C) for control, the site's nectar resources are below the landscape average -- a signal to investigate which land cover classes are contributing most to the nectar deficit.
Data Table. A paired column in the historical scenarios table showing site and control NP values (in kg/ha/yr) across polygon versions and years.
Purpose: To provide a historical record of nectar resource availability for the site across all calculated polygon and land cover versions, enabling trend analysis and version comparison.
Description: The Scenarios table includes a pair of "NP (kg/ha/y)" columns (site and control) alongside MSA (LU), MSA Hectares, PA, NS, FA, Impermeability %, Naturalness %, year, polygon version, and land use version. Each row represents one calculation version. Values are numeric in kg/ha/yr.
How it's calculated: Each cell is the InVEST NP value for that polygon version and year, calculated as the area-weighted mean of land cover classes.
Interpretation example:
If the table shows NP = 160 site / 95 control in 2021 and NP = 110 site / 98 control in 2023, the site's nectar resources have declined while the control remained stable -- this could indicate a reduction in meadow or flowering areas within the site perimeter over that period.
Map Layer. An interactive raster overlay displaying NP values at pixel level within the CLC & Pollinator Analysis layer group, available on any map page.
Purpose: To reveal the spatial distribution of nectar potential across the site and surroundings, identifying areas with higher nectar production (meadows, hedgerows, flowering crops) versus sealed or low-diversity areas.
Description: The layer is selectable from the "CLC & Pollinator Analysis" group in the map layer selector with the label "Nectar potential (NP)". On click, an information overlay appears: "The selected layer, Nectariferous Potential, represents the quantity of potential nectar produced in a given area." The raster uses a custom continuous gradient palette specific to NP -- different from the A--E quality palette used in the gauge.
How it's calculated: Each pixel value is the nectar contribution for that land cover class at land cover resolution (10--100 m), in kg/ha/yr.
Legend: Continuous gradient: ■ #2A2F71 (dark blue, low) to ■ #943390 (purple) to ■ #EB7158 (orange) to ■ #EBE333 (light yellow, high). The continuous scale covers the range 0--250 kg/ha/yr. This palette is distinct from the five A--E quality segments used in the gauge and sidebar badges.
Interpretation example:
If the map shows a yellow area (high NP) along a northern meadow corridor that transitions to dark blue in the urbanised southern areas, nectar resources are strongly concentrated in natural zones -- directing planting of nectar-rich species in transition areas would maximise the impact on pollinator support.
| Source | Provider | Coverage | Resolution | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| InVEST Pollinator Model | Natural Capital Project, Stanford University | Site-level (based on land cover input) | Derived from land cover resolution | Continuous |
| CORINE Land Cover / Land cover fusion | EEA / 3Bee geo pipeline | Europe (site level) | 10--100 m | 1990 -- present |
The calculation follows the InVEST Pollinator Model pipeline:
The calculation requires prior processing of the land cover layer and the Element-e module; if land cover has not been generated, NP is not available.
NP also directly feeds the Beekeeping Feasibility and Honey Production calculations: the formula estimates the number of sustainable hives in the control area based on the nectar potential, area extent, and a carrying capacity threshold, without introducing competition among pollinators.
Sharp, R., Chaplin-Kramer, R., Wood, S., Guerry, A., Tallis, H., Ricketts, T., et al. (2020). InVEST User's Guide. The Natural Capital Project, Stanford University. Available at: https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu/software/invest
Ricketts, T.H., Regetz, J., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Cunningham, S.A., Kremen, C., Bogdanski, A., et al. (2008). "Landscape effects on crop pollination services: are there general patterns?" Ecology Letters, 11(5), 499--515. DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01157.x
Potts, S.G., Biesmeijer, J.C., Kremen, C., Neumann, P., Schweiger, O., & Kunin, W.E. (2010). "Global pollinator declines: trends, impacts and drivers." Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 25(6), 345--353. DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2010.01.007
Klein, A.M., Vaissiere, B.E., Cane, J.H., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Cunningham, S.A., Kremen, C., & Tscharntke, T. (2007). "Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops." Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 274(1608), 303--313. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2006.3721