What are we measuring? A review of metrics used to describe biodiversity in offsets exchanges

摘要: Abstract Biodiversity offsets are increasingly employed as an approach to compensate for unavoidable development impacts. Reliance on overly simplistic metrics in assessing the impacts of development, and assigning offset requirements, generally results which fail conserve key ecological values they seek protect. We conducted a cross-disciplinary quantitative review, based 255 peer-reviewed publications from three fields research; offsetting (n = 43), conservation planning (n = 54) ecology (n = 158), explore commonly used compared literature. recorded use biodiversity 24 categories captured broad habitat patterns (e.g. area condition) well specific biological mechanisms diversity, population density or landscape connectivity). Our review found that studies programs rely heavily attributes area-based metrics, with >70% literature having these metrics. Habitat were less frequently reported (56 59%, respectively) (49 15%). Ecological research had higher frequency reflecting processes relevant biodiversity, such species’ densities species-specific connectivity. also indicate notable disconnect how is measured when planned their outcomes evaluated. This demonstrates need re-evaluate way policies value, describe measure so critical important appropriately captured, no net loss achieved.