Indicator

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-014081",
  "term": "Indicator",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. A measurable feature that singly or in combination provides manageable and scientifically useful evidence of environmental and ecosystem quality or reliable evidence of trends in quality.\n\n2. A measurable quantity that can be used to evaluate the relationship between pollutant sources and their impact on water quality.\n\n3. A measure that consists of ordered categories arranged in ascending or descending order of desirability.\n\n4. In biology, any biological entity or processes, or community whose characteristics show the presence of specific environmental conditions.\n\n5. In chemistry, a substance that shows a visible change, usually of color, at a desired point in a chemical reaction.\n\n6. A device that indicates the result of a measurement; e.g. a pressure gauge or a moveable scale.\n\n7. Direct or indirect measurements of some valued component or quality in a system. Can be used to measure the current health of the watershed and to provide a way to measure progress toward meeting the watershed goals.\n\n8. In EMAP, characteristics of the environment both abiotic and biotic, that can provide quantitative information on ecological resources. (Revised definition 1993. Preferred term for environmental indicator, deleted 1993.) \"In biology, an organism, species, or community whose characteristics show the presence of specific environmental conditions, good or bad\" (EPA 1992, 15).\n\n9. In biology, any biological entity or processes, or community whose characteristics show the presence of specific environmental conditions. In chemistry, a substance that shows a visible change, usually of color, at a desired point in a chemical reaction. A device that indicates the result of a measurement; e.g. a pressure gauge or a moveable scale.\n\n10. A numerical value derived from actual measurements of a stressor, state or ambient condition, exposure, or human health or ecological condition over a specified geographic domain, whose trends over time represent or draw attention to underlying trends in the condition of the environment.\n\n11. An interpretable value or category describing trends in some measurable aspect, often used singularly or in combination to generate an index.\n\n12. A sign or signal that relays a complex message, potentially from numerous sources, in a simplified and useful manner.\n\n13. An interpretable summary value that reflects the state of, or change in, a system or point of interest that is being evaluated. Indicators are derived from measures or metrics that correspond to components of well-being. Example indicators are perceived safety, lifestyle and behavior, and wealth.\n\n14. A summary measure that provides information on the state of, or change in, the system that is being measured. Information based on measured data used to represent a particular attribute, characteristic, or property of a system.",
  "subject": "Policy and guidance",
  "see_also": [
    "Environmental Indicator"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems Glossary",
    "Sediment Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) Glossary",
    "Program Evaluation Glossary",
    "Terms of Environment",
    "Watershed Planning Glossary of Terms",
    "Environmental Modeling and Assessment Program (EMAP) Master Glossary",
    "EPA 2005b",
    "Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary",
    "National Ecosystem Classification System (NESCS) Plus Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/indicator/"
}