Regional Index of Ecological Integrity: A need for sustainable management of natural resources

An ecosystem is a complex composition of physical, chemical and biological components. This complex system remains in a healthy state if the system can maintain the ecological equilibrium among its components. Anthropogenic disturbances are the prime stressors that affect this equilibrium through creating fragmentation, ecosystem sensitivity, loosening landscape connectivity and disrupting ecological integrity. As different types of ecosystem are interconnected, a comprehensive monitoring and evaluating criteria is needed for measuring its integrity at regional level for conservation planning. A Regional Index of Ecological Integrity can be a suitable approach for sustainable management of regional ecosystem. Therefore, this paper presents (i) the characteristics of ecological integrity, (ii) the spatial processes induced by anthropogenic stressors and (iii) an approach to develop a composite Regional Index of Ecological Integrity (RIEI). The prime objective is to establish a thought and a way to develop a composite index of ecological integrity at the regional level. Here, we demonstrate different compositional, structural and functional indicators/indices related to fragmentation, representativeness of protected area, ecosystem sensitivity, and landscape connectivity for the development of a Regional Index of Ecological Integrity (RIEI). (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.