Table 3.

Summary of EBM assessment of the five case study areas. IF: Impact factor. For details see assessment and analysis matrices for each case study area separately in SM-S3 and S5

Area	Systems thinking	Average specificity	Average integration	Gaps and points of gravity
HK (A)	Medium	Medium	Medium−	All ecosystem aspects are included in the System Description but with varying specificity and linkages between aspects The highest specificity is found in Systems Description and Monitoring/Evaluation, but is not matched in Goals and Strategies/Measures phases, creating a gap in the management process Weak match across management phases, with the highest specificity in the System Description Anthropogenic Processes are well specified in Goals and Strategies/Measures but less so in System Description and Monitoring/Evaluation The monitoring system is described in detail, focusing on species and abiotic factors in terms of Relations and Ecological Processes by the use of indicators and the need for continuously evaluation and updating the management plan is addressed The main emphasis is on System Description and Monitoring/Evaluation of all ecosystem aspects except for Anthropogenic Processes which are the focus of Goals and Strategies/Measures
SNS (B)	Medium	Low+	Low	Strong focus and highest specificity at the species level of biodiversity across plan phases, terrestrial biotopes mentioned only in the Systems Description Mismatch between System Description and the other plan phases for Relations and Ecological Processes, and Scales, regarding both content and specificity. Scales not addressed in Strategies/Measures or Monitoring/Evaluation Change and Uncertainty is addressed across phases but with low specificity The main emphasis is on the System Description and ecosystem aspects Biodiversity and Anthropogenic Processes
SAM (C)	Medium	Medium	Medium−	The specificity and integration is ‘medium’ to ‘high’ for Biodiversity, Relations and Ecological Processes Change and Uncertainty, and Scales are formulated in general terms, indicating a lack of understanding of system dynamics Goals formulation are general and vague Severe lack of integration of Scales No other uncertainties other than knowledge gaps are identified No monitoring program, hence the adaptive approach is unfeasible Quantitative indicators for the PVs are suggested as a way to specify the goals, but no indicators are suggested for the IFs that are the main targets of the suggested measures The main emphasis is on System Description and the ecosystem aspects Biodiversity and Anthropogenic Processes
BA (D)	High	Medium	Low	All ecosystem aspects described in detail in a document from the Man and the Biosphere Area (MAB) designation processa The specificity in the System Description is not matched in the other plan phases, except for Biodiversity and Anthropogenic Processes The monitoring suggested in the MAB-document is not linked to the Goals and Strategies/Measures in the plan, making the adaptive approach unfeasible System Description and Monitoring/Evaluation are not matched by the Goals and Strategies/Measures suggested, indicating a failure to operationalize the MAB process No uncertainties other than knowledge gaps are identified The main emphasis is on System Description and the ecosystem aspects Biodiversity and Anthropogenic Processes
NB (E)	High	Medium	Medium+	All ecosystem aspects are addressed with rather ‘high’ specificity in the System Description, including their linkages Weak match across phases for Scales, where the description is detailed, but scales are missing in Goals and Monitoring/Evaluation and only generally addressed in Strategies/Measures Monitoring/Evaluation is lacking for Change and Uncertainty, Scales and Anthropogenic Processes hampering integration across phases Measures focus on societal dynamics and are very specific and detailed, while the linkages and assumed effects on the PVs are left unspecified The emphasis is on System Description and ecosystem aspects Biodiversity, Relations and Ecological Processes and Anthropogenic Processes

^aThe EBM process in BA used material from the previous MAB document, which we therefore included in our analysis