Novgorodova Т.A., Abramov S.A., Glupov V.V. 2024. An integrated method for assessing the state of biodiversity of disturbed ecosystems // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.23. No.6: 297–307 [in English].
Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Frunze Str. 11, Novosibirsk 630091 Russia. E-mail: tanovg@yandex.ru , terio@eco.nsc.ru
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.23.06.01
ABSTRACT. The description and test results of a quite simple and yet universal integrated method for quantifying the state of ecosystems and the degree of negative impact on them by industrial facilities based on biodiversity parameters are presented. The approach is based on the normalisation of diversity parameters of indicator groups of animals and plants relative to the background (reference territory) with subsequent averaging of the obtained values to calculate the multimetric index. The resulting Integrated Indicator of the State of the Ecosystem (IISE) reflects the extent of biodiversity change in the study area. Preliminary testing of the proposed method was carried out on the basis of materials collected during the Great Scientific Expedition (2022 and 2023) in the north of the Krasnoyarskii Krai in the Norilsk Industrial District and adjacent territories. Invertebrates (soil microarthropods, carabid beetles, spiders), vascular plants and lichens were used as indicator groups. The results of the preliminary testing confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed approach for the assessment of the state of ecosystems and the degree of their disturbance. The integrated method of quantitative assessment of the state of ecosystems, based on the IISE calculation, made it possible to define quite clearly the boundary of the belt of intensive impact on biodiversity, as well as to show a smooth gradient of reduction of negative impact towards the background area. This indicates great promise and wide potential possibilities for using this method, including for assessing the situation around large industrial facilities. However, to substantiate the possibility of wider application of the proposed method in monitoring studies, it is necessary to thoroughly test its performance and efficiency on the basis of longer time series data, as well as on materials collected under other natural conditions and under different types of anthropogenic impacts.
KEY WORDS: anthropogenic impact, degree of negative impact, complex assessment, integrated indicator of the state of ecosystem (IISE), indicator taxonomic groups, invertebrate animals, plants, Norilsk Industrial District.