# Indicator: Ecological Integrity

| **Indicator**           | Ecological integrity                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Status**              | Available on project basis                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Description**         | Ecological integrity reflects the overall health and resilience of an ecosystem by evaluating its structure, species composition, and ecological functions. Ecological integrity is measured using proxies such as habitat intactness, habitat connectivity, and the presence of indicator species.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| **Unit**                | Index values ranging from 0 (degraded) to 100 (intact)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| **Temporal resolution** | Annual Assessment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| **Spatial resolution**  | 1 ha or 1 km²                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| **Data**                | Remote sensing data (satellite imagery for detecting human disturbances like deforestation and assessing habitat connectivity) and field observations (data on indicator species through sightings, tracks, or other signs). Field data comes from ecologists, citizen scientists, or local experts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **Method**              | <p>Ecological integrity is assessed annually for each 1 km² area by combining three metrics:<br><br>(1)<br><strong>Habitat intactness</strong>, detected via satellite imagery to map human-driven changes such as deforestation, urban expansion, and land conversion;</p><p><br>(2)<br><strong>Habitat connectivity</strong>, measured by assessing how well an area is connected to other healthy habitat to support biodiversity;<br><br>(3)<br><strong>Indicator species presence</strong>, using key species as biological indicators of ecosystem health. The presence of indicator species is confirmed through field observations, validated by photos, tracks, or recordings.<br><br>The three metrics are combined, with higher scores indicating better ecological integrity. This method enables effective global monitoring of ecosystems with localized precision.<br></p> |


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