3. Dynamic distribution maps
The mapregions type generates interactive choropleth maps and annotated region lists from your distribution data - no GIS software required. See Distribution maps with mapregions for a full guide. Three things must always work together: region codes in the data, a region names dictionary in Map regions information, and color rules in the Map regions legend table. These examples progress from a minimal presence/absence world map to numeric gradients and dynamic per-taxon SVG selection, using invented taxa to keep the data credible without requiring real species distributions.
Remember: do not confuse mapregions and map data types. The former is for choropleth maps dynamically generated from your data; the latter is a equivalent for using image but intended for static map images (e.g. a scanned map) that are not data-driven and do not generate filters.
How to use these examples
Each example opens with the authoring scenario - the practical challenge it solves. Below it, the spreadsheet viewer shows the complete solution; click it to expand. How it works breaks down the configuration behind it, with links to the relevant reference pages for each setting. What you will see tells you what to look for once you hit See it in action, which opens the example as a live NaturaList project in the demo space.
A word of caution
Example data is there to support the demonstrated features and is purely illustrative, don't use it in your biology classes.
World presence/absence map
Show which regions each taxon is recorded from on a map of France, with a region list on the taxon card, a choropleth in the Details pane, and a region filter in the sidebar.
The
francePresencecolumn stores region codes separated by |-pipe. See Data entry formats for alternative encodings.Declaring it as mapregions with a Template pointing to
maps/france.svg(authored following SVG map authoring) enables the choropleth.A single row in Map regions legend with an empty (catch-all) Status code and a green fill paints every present region the same color - the minimal legend configuration.
Map regions information is the required dictionary translating codes to display names (
frhdf→Hauts de France, etc.).Setting placement to
right|detailsproduces both an inline text list on the taxon card and the SVG map in the Details pane Map tab. The sidebar filter shows full region names as checkboxes.
What you will see: On any taxon card, region names appear on the right. Open the Details pane Map tab: present regions are highlighted in green with a legend and data table below. In the filter sidebar, filter by one or more regions and change the Match mode to see the taxon list update in real time. Switch Current view to Regional Distribution and try filtering by Red List status or Family to compare regional densities - click any results table row for region details.
usercontent/maps/france.svg- France SVG map
Categorical status map and gradient-based map with annotated regions
Establishment status per country (native, introduced, extirpated) with a distinct map color per status, the status annotating the inline region list, and a literature citation attached to a specific country for one taxon. Another maps shows the number of specimens per region using a color gradient.
Extends the previous example. Status values are stored in per-column format (
world.fr,world.de, …), equivalent to the single-column format but with more room for authoring. See Data entry formats.Each status string matches an exact-match row in Map regions legend; the Appended legend column supplies the annotation shown in italics after the country name (e.g.
France *(introduced)*). A fallback row (empty Status code) catches countries present but unclassified.Column name scopes legend rows to the
establishmentStatuscolumn so they do not interfere with the presence/absence map.Map regions information is shared - region names are declared once and used by any map column.
A region note written as
i #First recorded @jones2019renders the bibliography citation as a formatted footnote in the inline region list.The specimen count map uses a numeric mapregions column with a gradient legend type - the Map regions legend rows for that column use numeric thresholds and a color gradient to show regions from poorest to best documented.
What you will see: On any taxon card, the inline country list shows country names with status annotations. In the Details pane Map tab, a second map panel colors countries by establishment status with its own legend. In the filter sidebar, 'native', 'introduced', and 'extirpated' checkboxes appear alongside country checkboxes - change the Match mode to see how the two filter dimensions interact. Switch Current view to Regional Distribution to explore the status-based analysis tools.