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tooluniverse-ecology-biodiversity

Researches species taxonomy, conservation status, and ecological impacts using GBIF, IUCN, and literature databases.

1.7k|254|Updated Mar 3, 2025
Search Tags:#taxonomy#biodiversity#ecology#conservation#gbif#invasive species#iucn
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/mims-harvard/ToolUniverse --skill tooluniverse-ecology-biodiversity
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: tooluniverse-ecology-biodiversity
Source: https://github.com/mims-harvard/ToolUniverse/tree/main/plugins/tooluniverse/skills/tooluniverse-ecology-biodiversity
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/mims-harvard/ToolUniverse --skill tooluniverse-ecology-biodiversity

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Answering ecology and biodiversity questions accurately requires looking up authoritative taxonomic, occurrence, and conservation data rather than relying on general knowledge, which is often counter-intuitive. This Skill guides AI agents through structured reasoning frameworks and the right biodiversity databases to produce evidence-based answers.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Species & Taxonomy Lookup: Resolve species names, navigate the GBIF taxonomic tree (parents, children, synonyms, vernacular names), and query marine taxonomy via WoRMS and specimen records via iDigBio.
  • Conservation & Invasive Species Assessment: Retrieve IUCN Red List status and apply reasoning frameworks for invasive species impact, pollinator ecology, population dynamics, and community ecology.
  • Literature-Grounded Analysis: Search PubMed and Europe PMC for ecological studies, then compute statistics (survival analysis, growth models) in Python rather than describing them.
  • Use Case: A researcher asks whether honeybees harm native pollinators in North America. The Skill looks up Apis mellifera taxonomy in GBIF, searches literature for invasion impact studies, and synthesizes an evidence-based answer.

Quick Start

Ask the agent to look up the conservation status and invasive impact of a species, for example: "What is the IUCN status of Panthera leo and what does the literature say about its population trends?"

Frequently Asked Questions about tooluniverse-ecology-biodiversity

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I look up species taxonomy and distribution data?▼

Use GBIF_search_species or GBIF_match_name to resolve a species name to a taxon key, then GBIF_search_occurrences for distribution records. For marine species use WoRMS_search_species, and for museum specimens use iDigBio_search_records.

How do I check the conservation status of a species?▼

Use IUCN_get_conservation_status with the scientific name to retrieve the official Red List category (CR, EN, VU, NT, LC). This tool requires a free IUCN_API_KEY and is the authoritative extinction-risk source.

How do I navigate the GBIF taxonomic tree?▼

Resolve a name to a usageKey with GBIF_match_name, then call GBIF_get_taxon_parents to walk up the lineage, GBIF_get_taxon_children to list descendant taxa, and GBIF_get_taxon_synonyms or GBIF_get_vernacular_names for alternative names.

Does the GBIF taxonomy API require an API key?▼

No, all GBIF tools including match_name, taxon parents, children, synonyms, and vernacular names hit the public GBIF API with no key. Only the IUCN conservation status tool requires a free API key.

How should I analyze microbial extinction or population survival data?▼

Use time-to-event survival analysis such as Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, or Cox regression rather than simple endpoint comparisons. Retrieve the underlying data with ToolUniverse tools, then run the statistics in Python with scipy or statsmodels.

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