1. purpose |
what does the indicator aim to indicate? |
is the aim described clearly? |
is the aim to indicate changes in specific taxa only? Or is the aim to indicate change in biodiversity more generally, thus beyond its constituent parts? |
is the aim to show how taxa or biodiversity responds to a particular environmental driver? |
what spatial scale is the indicator designed for? Is the aim to indicate changes at a national scale, a regional scale or something else? Is the aim to indicate changes per ecosystem and which ecosystems are distinguished? |
is the indicator intended to respond rapidly to environmental change? If not immediately, then on what time-scale? |
who are the key stakeholders, policy- and decision-makers? |
is the driver susceptible to human influence through policy or other measures? |
can the indicator be disaggregated to shed light on the underlying ecological processes? |
2. fit for purpose |
do sampling design and statistical method correspond to the purpose? |
are the methods of species and sample site selection sound? Do they ensure representation of species groups, habitats or geographical areas? If not, can this be adjusted to reduce bias? |
is the statistical analysis sound? Have missing values been taken into account? Are confidence limits around the indicator available? Failing this, can the sensitivity be measured in other ways? |
if the purpose is to show changes in biodiversity more generally, how can this be substantiated? |
if the purpose is to link changes with drivers, what is the evidence for this link? Is a positive change in the indicator associated with an improving or deteriorating situation for species/habitats in the environment? Could other environmental factors explain the behaviour of the indicator? |
3. practicality |
can the indicator be constructed and updated easily? |
does the indicator use existing data and expertise, or require new data collection and expertise? |
is the indicator available immediately? If not, on what time-scale can it be produced? |
can the indicator be updated frequently, e.g. annually, or less frequently? |
what level of resource is required to produce the indicator? Is it cost-effective? Is further investment required and justified? |