The application of an indicator based on taxonomic distinctness for UK marine biodiversity assessments

Mankind needs to use the resources and opportunities offered by the marine environment while protecting ecological processes and systems. This is the foundation for sustainable development, which can only be achieved by adopting an appropriate management approach. Whether internationally or at a reg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental management 2006, Vol.78 (1), p.52-62
Main Authors: Leonard, D.R.P., Robert Clarke, K., Somerfield, Paul J., Warwick, Richard M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
benthic organisms
Biodiversity
Biological and medical sciences
Conservation of Natural Resources
conservation practices
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Ecology
Ecosystems
environmental assessment
Environmental management
environmental monitoring
Fishes
free-living nematodes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
indicator species
Indicators
Management
Marine
marine fish
Marine resources
marine science
Mollusca
molluscs
Monitoring
Nematoda
Seawater
Sustainable development
Taxonomic distinctness
Taxonomy
United Kingdom
water management
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Summary:Mankind needs to use the resources and opportunities offered by the marine environment while protecting ecological processes and systems. This is the foundation for sustainable development, which can only be achieved by adopting an appropriate management approach. Whether internationally or at a regional scale, successful management of marine ecosystems needs to be based on a scientifically robust approach to monitoring environmental change. Within such a framework, the conservation of marine biological diversity is problematic, as many conventional measures of diversity are not appropriate for measuring the types of change that require management. New indicators are required and in this paper we summarise some of the current methodology being used to derive such indices, which may be used to evaluate the effectiveness of marine stewardship initiatives. Through a series of examples we demonstrate the application of the taxonomic distinctness indicator of biodiversity to marine environmental assessment and its development towards becoming an operational tool.
ISSN:0301-4797
1095-8630
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2005.04.008