The selection of species and habitats to be assigned to the species groups and pelagic and benthic broad habitat types shall be based on the following: 1. Scientific criteria (ecological relevance):
representative of the ecosystem component
(species group or broad habitat type), and of ecosystem functioning (e.g.
connectivity between habitats and populations, completeness and integrity of
essential habitats), being relevant for assessment of state/impacts, such as
having a key functional role within the component (e.g. high or specific
biodiversity, productivity, trophic link, specific resource or service) or
particular life history traits (age and size at breeding, longevity, migratory
traits); -
relevant for assessment of a key
anthropogenic pressure to which the ecosystem component is exposed, being
sensitive to the pressure and exposed to it (vulnerable) in the assessment
area;
-
present in sufficient numbers or extent in
the assessment area to be able to construct a suitable indicator for
assessment;
-
the set of species or habitats selected
shall cover, as far as possible, the full range of ecological functions of the
ecosystem component and the predominant pressures to which the component is
subject;
if species of species groups are closely
associated to a particular broad habitat type they may be included within that
habitat type for monitoring and assessment purposes; in such cases, the species
shall not be included in the assessment of the species group.
2. Additional practical criteria (which shall
not override the scientific criteria):
The representative set of species and habitats
to be assessed are likely to be specific to the region or subregion, although
certain species may occur in several regions or subregions. |