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Desertification Indicator System for Mediterranean Europe

 

The main issues associated with Mediterranean desertification

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Table of indicators relating to deforestation
Authors: Agostino Ferrara <ferrara@unibas.it>, Raffaella Lovreglio


Based on the discussion of the issue of deforestation and on a workshop session carried out by members of the DESERTLINKS project, we have attempted to structure the relationship of the indicators to the issue.

The deforestation issue is divided into three themes:

  • what can be observed (or process or state dynamics);
  • reasons for what is observed (or factors influencing the issue or driving forces and pressures);
  • consequences of what is observed (or impacts and responses).

The different facets of each theme are given in sub-themes and indicators of direct relevance to measuring or monitoring are suggested. Some are also suggested as headline indicators which, if considered as a group, form a sub-set of indicators encapsulating the major processes in deforestation (see also Combining and using indicators: Headline indicators).

Please note that the structure presented in the table below is open to discussion. It may not be comprehensive because it is restricted to the indicators currently in the DIS4ME database. Some indicators appear more than once because they relate to more than one theme. This structure is something we would like to develop further in the future.



Theme Sub-theme Indicators
What can be observed (process or state dynamics) Deforestation

 

 

Deforested Area (Headline)
Vegetation cover (Headline)
Biodiversity conservation (Headline)
Area of cultivated & semi-natural vegetation (Headline)
Reasons for what is observed (influencing factors or driving forces and pressures) Climatic conditions Climate quality index
Aridity index (1)
Aridity index (2)
Drought tolerance of forest Drought Resistance
Forest destruction by fire Wild fire incidence
Burned Area
Fire Frequency
Fire Risk
Forest fragmentation
Fire Protection
Forest productivity Crop Productivity
Forest productivity
Impact of grazing on deforestation Grazing intensity
Grazing
Role of forest management Sustainable forest management
Land Use Policy
Policy enforcement
Internal resources mobilisation
Forest managment quality
Things going on in the wider world EU production subsidies
Impact of human population Population density
Urban sprawl
Consequences of what is observed (or impacts and responses)
Change in erosion risk Erosion risk (RDI)

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