Development of a Multimetric Index for Integrated Assessment of Salt Marsh Ecosystem Condition

摘要: Tools for assessing and communicating salt marsh condition are essential to guide decisions aimed at maintaining or restoring ecosystem integrity services. Multimetric indices (MMIs) increasingly used provide integrated assessments of condition. We employed a theory-based approach that considers the multivariate relationship metrics with human disturbance construct MMI five National Parks in northeastern USA. quantified degree each using first principal component score from components analysis physical, chemical, land use stressors. then applied metric selection algorithm different combinations about 45 vegetation nekton (e.g., species abundance, richness, ecological functional classifications) derived multi-year monitoring data. While MMIs alone were strongly correlated (r values −0.80 −0.93), an both yielded exceptionally strong correlation (r = −0.96). Individual included one metrics. The metric-assembly parsimonious exhibit greatest possible correlations way is objective, efficient, reproducible.