An easy-to-use index of ecological integrity for prioritizing freshwater sites and for assessing habitat quality

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dc.contributor.authorSimaika, John P.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSamways, Michael J.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2011-05-15T15:56:38Z
dc.date.available2011-05-15T15:56:38Z
dc.date.issued2009-05
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at http://link.springer.com/journal/10531en_ZA
dc.description.abstractPrioritizing and assessing the condition of sites for conservation action requires robust and ergonomic methodological tools. We focus here on prioritizing freshwater sites using two promising biodiversity indices, the Dragonfly Biotic Index (DBI) and Average Taxonomic Distinctness (AvTD). The AvTD had no significant association with either species richness or endemism. In contrast, the DBI was highly significantly associated with species richness and endemism, although the strengths of the associations were weak. These associations are related to how the sub-indices in the DBI are weighted, and how species are distributed geographically. Additionally, the DBI was found to be very useful for site selection based on its ability to measure ecological integrity, combined with level of threat, at multiple spatial scales. The AvTD was found to be useful principally for regional use. As the DBI is a low-cost, easy-to-use method, it has the additional use as a method for assessing habitat quality and recovery in restoration programs. The DBI operates at the species level, and is therefore highly sensitive to habitat condition and has great potential for environmental assessment and monitoring freshwater biodiversity and quality. Practical, worked examples of river restoration are given here. In view of the ease and versatility by which the DBI can be employed, we recommend its testing and possible integration into freshwater management and conservation schemes elsewhere in the world. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.en_ZA
dc.description.versionPost-print
dc.format.extent17 p. : ill., maps
dc.identifier.citationSimaika, J.P. & Samways, M.J. 2009. An easy-to-use index of ecological integrity for prioritizing freshwater sites and for assessing habitat quality. Biodiversity and Conservation, 18(5):1171-1185, doi:10.1007/s10531-008-9484-3.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1572-9710 (online)
dc.identifier.issn0960-3115 (print)
dc.identifier.otherdoi:10.1007/s10531-008-9484-3
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/9962
dc.publisherSpringer Verlagen_ZA
dc.rights.holderAuthors retain copyrighten_ZA
dc.subjectBiodiversity -- Monitoringen_ZA
dc.subjectFreshwater ecologyen_ZA
dc.subjectHabitat conservationen_ZA
dc.subjectDragonfliesen_ZA
dc.subjectFreshwater biodiversity conservationen_ZA
dc.titleAn easy-to-use index of ecological integrity for prioritizing freshwater sites and for assessing habitat qualityen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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