An environmental indicator system for SIERRA NEVADA LTER site: Conceptual framework and implementation Francisco Bonet García (fjbonet@gmail.com) Centro Andaluz de Medio Ambiente. Universidad de Granada-Junta de Andalucía

How could we measure the conservation status of a given ecosystem?

The first step to create an indicator system is to get relevant and up to date raw data. In the last three years we have implemented a monitoring program based on GLOCHAMORE project and LTER's experience

We have implemented 40 different monitoring protocols that gather information about more than 100 variables related to structure and functions of the socio-ecological system

From this point we have followed two different approaches to design the indicator system

The first approach is the most challenging under a scientific point of view, but it is also the most complex to accomplish.

Then we add labels to show the type of indicator that we are creating: state, pressure or response.

But what is the real relationship between these indicators and the conservation status of the system? How could we integrate these partial results to obtain a single multimetric index?

We, as ecologist, does not have knowledge enough to know, for example, what is the relationship between the flowering date and the conservation status of the ecosystem. In fact, we do not even have a single and comprehensive definition of conservation status.

What if we try to create an indicator system using the concept of work (ecosystem services) in stead of the concept of “internal force” (unknown ecosystem functioning)?

If we are able to quantify some of the most important ecosystem services using the variables obtained in the monitoring program, we will be able to know how much “work” a given ecosystem is able to do.

If we are able to quantify some of the most important ecosystem services using the variables obtained in the monitoring program, we will be able to know how much “work” a given ecosystem is able to do.

If we are able to quantify some of the most important ecosystem services using the variables obtained in the monitoring program, we will be able to know how much “work” a given ecosystem is able to do.

This second approach has another advantage. We can quantify the demands that human societies have of ecosystem services, using the socio-economic variables collected in the monitoring program.

We could be able to create a single multimetric index that shows the state of a given socioecological system by calculating the relationship between the ecosystem services provided and the demands that human societies have.

Conclusions: Variables Protocol Aspects We propose two different and complementary approaches to create a system of indicators for Sierra Nevada.