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Given the development of global pressures on habitats and biodiversity, it is important that developments are accompanied with a compensation element leading to 'no net loss'. We show how (using a standardised sampling process) a statistical assessment of the biodiversity quality of the target organisms (birds) in a compensatory provision can be shown to be a compensation or not. We used the example of the Cardiff Bay Barrage (Wales) where a bay was inundated and compensation site at Newport Gwent Levels (Wales) created. Bird data for the Cardiff Bay prior to the inundation and for Newport following inundation of Cardiff Bay were analysed to create a series of biodiversity quality indices and these were compared statistically. The analysis showed the compensation habitat was better than the original. Results were poor for Dunlin and Redshank, already subject to regional decline in the Severn Estuary and estuaries in NW Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Butterfly decline in Northern Europe is a cause of concern and it has been hypothesised that this is due to nitrogen deposition inducing excess early growth of plants. It has also been changing the quality of the food available to larvae. We tested these hypotheses by linking butterfly biodiversity quality indices (species richness, population, biomass, conservation value, evenness (Simpson's Index) and modelled species richness (Chao 1 and 2)) with nitrogen Critical Load Exceedence (nCLE) data. An index of butterfly sensitivity to nitrogen was also created (Species Nitrogen Value Index (SNVI)). Using PCA, datasets were tested for associations and relationships. The results included multiple biodiversity quality indices based on 17 years of data (aggregated into three periods of six, six and five years to give 287 datasets) in four habitat types (grassland, heathland, woodland and farmland). With the exception of heathland the analysis showed that nitrogen deposition and all other indices (except SNVI) were in decline. For heathland the last 11 years did not show any significant decline. Heathland also showed an anomalous biodiversity quality profile for these last 11 years, suggesting that the sensitivity of heathland to nitrogen deposition will require further considerable efforts to achieve a nitrogen deposition that is not in exceedence of the critical load. Habitat restoration will take time due to the multiple hindrances to colonisation, which in the case of heathland might prevent successful butterfly colonisation for the foreseeable future. These results indicate the efficacy of butterfly biodiversity quality and nCLE as indicators for the SEBI 2020 process (Streamlining European Biodiversity Indicators) by showing the relationship between them. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The development of the Streamlining European Biodiversity Indicators 2010 (SEBI 2010) indicator set is described and critically reviewed for coverage and gaps. The indicator set is tested for historical background that would support trend analysis and found to be sensible, but the deficiency of direct biodiversity measurement rather than pressures on biodiversity is problematic. The lack of a freshwater biodiversity indicator is an obvious omission, whereas the analysis shows that two indicators (extent of protected areas and nitrogen deposition) have a central and important role in determining pressures on terrestrial biodiversity. A comparison with the UK Biodiversity Indicator Partnership annual assessment shows that this latter has better coverage at the biodiversity level and a simple method of presentation for an overall review. This has to be viewed with caution since disaggregation of the indicators shows contrary trends and even some misleading trends. Six recent papers proposing critical new indicators (three for invertebrates and three for freshwater ecosystems) are reviewed, and all are found to have deficiencies either in their sampling protocol or in the aim to produce a single headline value for a complex situation. The need for an ecosystem function approach to the measurement of biodiversity and the development of a common currency for measuring is expressed and compared to the results published by Butchardt et al. (2010) and Vačkář et al. (2012). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Spiders at 23 Portuguese protected area sites were sampled (pitfall trapped) over 10-month periods. The data allowed for a “biodiversity quality” assessment consisting of the following indices: Species Richness, Biomass, Simpson Index, Species Conservation Value Index and Population Density. These “biodiversity quality” characteristics were reviewed for relative indication of site spider “biodiversity quality”. Spiders are proposed as a group of organisms that could be used to indicate part of the “biodiversity quality” of a site since they can be sampled in a standardised way and yield biodiversity indices for comparison spatially and temporally. The approach adopted in this paper allows a range of “biodiversity quality” indices to be measured for spiders in Portuguese protected areas which, in turn requires decisions from scientists, managers and politicians on what element or characteristic of biodiversity it is intended to be targeted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

(1) This study examines the effect of increasing botanical diversity, through reed-bed planting and maintenance regimes, on sewage treatment reed-bed invertebrate biodiversity and the possible enrichment of overall catchment biodiversity. (2) Reedbed invertebrates were identified as a good indicator group of overall site biodiversity quality and were sampled at a range of sewage treatment reed-bed sites in the same geographical area between May and August 2006 (plus one natural reed-bed control site). Standardised water trapping and pitfall trapping techniques were employed throughout this sampling period. (3) Statistical analysis of the sampling results revealed that the number of plant species recorded was inversely related to terrestrial invertebrate species richness, species conservation value index and biomass within the study sites. For example, the natural reed-bed sampled had the highest botanical diversity but the lowest terrestrial invertebrate species richness. (4) This study has demonstrated that sewage treatment reed-beds support a diverse range of invertebrate species, some of them being of national conservation value. This suggests that sewage treatment reed-beds may be at least as biodiverse as naturally occurring reed-beds and will add to the overall biodiversity and ecohydrology of a catchment whilst saving energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper addresses the need for an internationally accepted definition of biodiversity the lack of which creates difficulty in measuring biodiversity difference and change. The authors suggest that well-sampled data can be used to generate a range of numerical indices reflecting species group characteristics/functionality that can be viewed in combination to create a picture of Biodiversity Quality. Examples of this approach demonstrate how to expand the currently accepted Convention on Biological Diversity definition, based on the “variability” of genes, species and ecosystems, since the numerical expression of the indices allows the probability of difference between biodiversity quality trends and values over time, and between sites or taxonomic groups, to be assessed for statistical inference of difference or similarity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]