Defining acceptable levels for ecological indicators: an approach for considering social values

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecosystem Management
• Social Science

Background:

• Adaptive management requires defined acceptable levels for ecological indicators.
• Establishing these levels necessitates integrating ecological understanding with societal values.
• Current methods often lack explicit consideration of social perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore an approach for defining acceptable ecological indicator levels that incorporates social perspectives and values.
• To establish acceptable levels for eight key indicators in the Lake Champlain Basin.
• To demonstrate the utility of normative theory in setting ecological standards.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a stakeholder survey to measure normative evaluations of ecological indicator levels.
• Applied normative theory to analyze respondent preferences.
• Developed aggregated social norm curves to identify shifts from acceptable to unacceptable conditions.
• Focused on eight indicators relevant to Lake Champlain Basin issues.

Main Results:

• Clear preferences for acceptable indicator levels were identified for seven of the eight indicators.
• Public beach closures due to bacterial contamination and intense algae bloom days shifted from acceptable to unacceptable at 7-10 days per season.
• Stakeholders deemed the safe monthly fish consumption levels unacceptably low and the number of stormwater-impaired streams unacceptably high.

Conclusions:

• The normative approach offers a valuable method for defining acceptable levels of ecological indicators.
• Integrating social values into indicator level setting is crucial for effective ecosystem management.
• This approach enhances the interpretation of ecological data for adaptive management strategies.