Indicators for biodiversity and ecosystem services: towards an improved framework for ecosystems assessment

摘要: Ecosystem assessment and monitoring requires the development application of suitable indicators, i.e. they need to be (i) reliable capable simplifying complex relationships, (ii) quantifiable transparent in order enable an easy communication, (iii) fit for purpose indication. These requirements are scarcely fulfilled current ecosystem efforts address international biodiversity conventions. Here we present test a set seven criteria towards improved framework ecosystems indication with particular emphasis on services: indication, indicator type according EEA’s Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response scheme, direct/indirect linkages services, spatial scale scalability across scales, applicability benchmarks/reference values, availability data protocols, remote sensing. The tested using 24 indicators at global, continental regional scale. Based general trends revealed by our evaluation, recommendations streamline improve respect implementation does require concerted effort, comparable, instance, Water Framework Directive Europe.