Two prototype tools for assessing good environmental/ecological status (GES) in aquatic ecosystems–DEVOTES and WATERS

摘要: We present two prototype tools for assessment of GES (good ecological status and good environmental status) in aquatic ecosystems: the DEVOTES biodiversity assessment tool (for the MSFD) and the WATERS ecological status assessment tool (for the WFD). Both tools are multi-metric indicator-based tools, which classify ecological/environmental status in two classes (good or not good) and five classes (High, Good, Moderate, Poor or Bad) by comparing observed indicator values with specified status classification boundaries. Assessments are made for geographical entities (“sectors” in DEVOTES/“waterbodies” in WATERS) resulting in both an overall status for the geographical entity as well as classifications within indicator groups.