Activity 4

Development of biodiversity indicators

Aim: To develop indicators which link the status of biodiversity and the influences of external physical factors.

Objectives and expected outcomes:

4.1. Evaluation of current indicators and those being developed

Description: Considering the different physical and biological peculiarities of the Baltic Sea in various regions, the developed underwater habitat indicators and those being developed will be assessed for suitability to the Latvian coastline. Assessments will be carried out to determine if these indicators can be used to describe the variations in the physical influences, considering that most of the indicators tend to describe a cumulative level of several influences.

Outcome: Assessed suitability of the developed indicators and those currently being developed. Created list of potentially suitable indicators.

4.2. Development of new biodiversity indicators to describe physical influences controlled by climate change

Description: In-depth analysis of the data pooled and processed within Activity 3 and analysis of the identified properties which describe the influences of the climate-controlled physical factors will be performed. The analysis will consider such aspects as presence of the species which characterise biodiversity, sensitivity, tolerance etc., against changes in the external pressure. The most suitable properties will be selected and assessed for the necessity of additional modifications (mathematical processing) for them or creation of a summary indicator based on several properties. The selected indicators will be used to develop a GIS map describing the biological diversity along the coastline (assessment of environment status).

Outcome: 2-3 biodiversity indicator fact-sheets. A GIS map with an assessment of the status of the environment along the coastline.