Integrative and Leverage Indicators
Nov 28th, 2007 by leb3
An integrative indicator reveals information about multiple landscape functions and goals for landscape performance (ie; multiple legs of the `ecoagriculture stool’). Land Cover is an integrative indicator. Analyzing patterns of landcover change over time can generate insight into conservation, production, livelihood and institutional performance, and relationships among specific attributes within each category.
A leverage indicator provides information about an element of a landscape system that is anticipated to affect many other elements of the system. A change in a leverage indicator signals the likelihood of change in other significant attributes of the landscape. Soil fertility (soil nutrition) is likely to be a leverage indicator in most integrated (conservation and production) landscapes, as illustrated above.
