Standardising the assessment of Functional Integrity in benthic ecosystems

摘要: Abstract Ecological integrity is an overarching concept that integrates multiple properties of ecosystems, including structure, function and resilience to external change. We explore the links between ecological structural surrogates for ecosystem functioning develop a cost-effective assessment Functional Integrity marine habitats based on biological traits, abundance heterogeneity, focused visible components seafloor, i.e., epibenthic flora fauna seabed biogenic habitat features. The was diversity redundancy functional traits identified benthic components, supplemented by estimates spatial heterogeneity (habitat transitions) vertical complexity. This approach developed using video data collected in different years with sampling strategies two locations: Kawau Bay North Island New Zealand, Port Pegasus Stewart Island, off South Zealand; this last location priori expected be nearly—pristine. Despite variability techniques environmental settings, proved effective evidenced higher measures location. study introduces first step measure successfully converting Integrity, way independent.