Environmental Indicators and Biodiversity
Conservation Strategies
Carsten Hobohm
Abstract Humans have always observed their natural surroundings and used signals from the environment—environmental indicators—for survival and wellbeing.
This publication provides an overview of the current discussion on environmental
indicators, and the way it intersects with biodiversity policy and management at
different spatial scales. It considers questions such as what is the meaning of
environmental indicators related to biodiversity and ecosystems? How informative
are different indicators? How may an environmental indicator help to find solutions
for the use and management of ecosystems and the survival of the species it
supports?
What current concepts, strategies and measures exist to protect the biodiversity
and ecosystems? How effective are these with respect to observation, indication,
control, legislation, effectiveness of policies and investment?
The simplest environmental indicators are single measurements such as temperature or sea level. Others are more complex and combine different factors, e.g. to
describe the overall sustainability of a country or the so-called ecological footprint of
a person. Nevertheless, even if the calculation behind an indicator is complex, the
message can be communicated simply e.g. in a symbol such as red, yellow or green
traffic light for action.
Some indicators that can be used to interpret environmental conditions, e.g. the
World Happiness Index, are only indirectly related to the environment and focus
mainly on social aspects and human wellbeing. Others are directly linked to biodiversity such as the Living Planet Index or Red Lists of threatened species.
It is impossible to protect all species on Earth in an equal manner or to accept the
status quo as it is now. Based on the assumption that there is a general agreement to
protect biodiversity as a whole on Earth, there are many different conservation
concepts currently being discussed, developed and applied. This contribution
reviews and evaluates some of the most important ones from a global perspective.
C. Hobohm (*)
Department of Ecology and Environmental Education, University of Flensburg (EUF),
Flensburg, Germany
e-mail: hobohm@uni-flensburg.de
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
C. Hobohm (ed.), Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Environmental
Challenges and Solutions, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57710-0_7
159
Conservation Strategies
Carsten Hobohm
Abstract Humans have always observed their natural surroundings and used signals from the environment—environmental indicators—for survival and wellbeing.
This publication provides an overview of the current discussion on environmental
indicators, and the way it intersects with biodiversity policy and management at
different spatial scales. It considers questions such as what is the meaning of
environmental indicators related to biodiversity and ecosystems? How informative
are different indicators? How may an environmental indicator help to find solutions
for the use and management of ecosystems and the survival of the species it
supports?
What current concepts, strategies and measures exist to protect the biodiversity
and ecosystems? How effective are these with respect to observation, indication,
control, legislation, effectiveness of policies and investment?
The simplest environmental indicators are single measurements such as temperature or sea level. Others are more complex and combine different factors, e.g. to
describe the overall sustainability of a country or the so-called ecological footprint of
a person. Nevertheless, even if the calculation behind an indicator is complex, the
message can be communicated simply e.g. in a symbol such as red, yellow or green
traffic light for action.
Some indicators that can be used to interpret environmental conditions, e.g. the
World Happiness Index, are only indirectly related to the environment and focus
mainly on social aspects and human wellbeing. Others are directly linked to biodiversity such as the Living Planet Index or Red Lists of threatened species.
It is impossible to protect all species on Earth in an equal manner or to accept the
status quo as it is now. Based on the assumption that there is a general agreement to
protect biodiversity as a whole on Earth, there are many different conservation
concepts currently being discussed, developed and applied. This contribution
reviews and evaluates some of the most important ones from a global perspective.
C. Hobohm (*)
Department of Ecology and Environmental Education, University of Flensburg (EUF),
Flensburg, Germany
e-mail: hobohm@uni-flensburg.de
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
C. Hobohm (ed.), Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Environmental
Challenges and Solutions, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57710-0_7
159