ecological endpoint

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-008862",
  "term": "ecological endpoint",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. A biophysical feature, quantity or quality that requires little further translation to make clear its relevance to human well-being (i.e., \"public-friendly\" measurements). Ecological endpoints are the ecological inputs that, along with complementary goods and services inputs and demand by people, produce ecosystem services. For example, the abundance of watchable birds at a site is an ecological endpoint, that when combined with complementary inputs such as transportation infrastructure and demand by birders, produce the ecosystem service of recreational bird watching. Similarly, the abundance of spiritually significant fish within a stream reach could be an ecological endpoint relevant to spiritual and ceremonial ecosystem services benefiting Native American peoples. Specified changes in ecological endpoints can be used in economic surveys to gauge people's willingness to pay for (or willingness to accept) increases or decreases in potentially valued ecosystem services, thereby providing quantitative information with which to evaluate decision/management alternatives. (adapted from: Boyd 2007, Boyd & Banzhaf 2007, Wainger & Boyd 2009, Wainger & Mazzotta 2009; see Ringold et al. 2009 for examples associated with streams)\n\n2. A biophysical feature, quantity or quality that requires little further translation to make clear its relevance to human well-being (i.e., \"public-friendly\" measurements). Ecological endpoints are the ecological inputs that, along with complementary goods and services inputs and demand by people, produce ecosystem services. For the ESRP, synonymous with \"Boyd\" endpoint. For example, the abundance of watchable birds at a site is an ecological endpoint, that when combined with complementary inputs such as transportation infrastructure and demand by birders, produce the ecosystem service of recreational bird watching. Similarly, the abundance of spiritually significant fish within a stream reach could be an ecological endpoint relevant to spiritual and ceremonial ecosystem services benefiting Native American peoples. Specified changes in ecological endpoints can be used in economic surveys to gauge people's willingness to pay for (or willingness to accept) increases or decreases in potentially valued ecosystem services, thereby providing quantitative information with which to evaluate decision/management alternatives.",
  "subject": "Ecosystems",
  "references": [
    "Core Ecosystem Services Research Program Standard Lexicon"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/ecological-endpoint/"
}