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Conserve Heritage Resources

National Ecological Integrity Monitoring and Reporting Structure

Parks Canada recognizes three major components of ecological integrity: biodiversity, ecosystem processes, and stressors as a basis for ecological integrity monitoring and reporting. These components and their elements are shown in Table 11.

Table 11: Ecological Integrity Reporting System (each national park)
BIODIVERSITY

ECOSYSTEM PROCESS

STRESSORS

Species Richness

Succession/Retrogression

Human Land Use Patterns

Change in species richness
Number and extent of exotics

Disturbance frequency and size (fire, insects, flooding)
Vegetation age class distributions

Land use maps, road densities, human population densities

Population Dynamics

Productivity

Habitat Fragmentation

Mortality/natality rates of indicator species
Immigration/emigration of indicator species
Population viability of indicator species

By landscape or by site

Patch size, inter-patch distance, distance from interior

Trophic structure

Decomposition

Pollutants

Size class distribution of all taxonomies
Predation levels

By site

Sewage, petrochemical, etc.
Long-range transportation of toxins

Nutrient retention

Climate

Calcium and nitrogen by site

Weather data
Frequency of extreme events

Other

Park-specific issues (e.g., disease in local animal populations)

Source: Parks Canada Ecological Integrity Branch

Parks Canada is developing an ecological reporting system for each national park based on this structure. Parks Canada conducts assessments of all parks on their progress in developing fully functioning ecological monitoring and reporting systems against six criteria. Results of the assessment are shown in Table 12.

Table 12: Criteria Used to Assess Each National Park Ecological Monitoring and Reporting System

Criteria

There are 42 national parks

# Of Parks Compliant With Criteria

2006-2007

1. Scientific Credibility: Monitoring projects address clear questions, set defensible targets, use scientifically defensible methods that are available for external review, programs incorporate external scientific advice.

4

2. Data Management and Statistical Design: Data from monitoring projects are available and coherent; experimental designs and sampling are scientifically adequate.

2

3. Bioregional Cooperation: Monitoring projects fit into larger bioregional approaches and initiatives.

29

4. Stakeholder Involvement: Partners and stakeholders in the development of park ecological integrity monitoring program are fully engaged.

25

5. Linkage to Plans: Monitoring programs are credibly linked to ecological integrity vision or management plan goals, and greater park ecosystem monitoring goals.

22

6. Strategy for Assembling Monitoring Program: Parks have credible strategies to address gaps in monitoring programs

29

Source: Parks Canada Ecological Integrity Branch

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