ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

The index of ecological impact (ecoImpact) represents the magnitude of loss in ecological integrity under a specified landscape change scenario (see Integrity document for details). Here, we provide ecoImpact for several scenarios examined in the SPRAWL and INTEGRITY papers (see earlier references). The included document provides a description of the ecoImpact metric that is suitable for both applications:

1. ecoImpact associated with the SPRAWL paper [updated 5/1/2018] — includes two landscape change scenarios: 1) baseline 70-year (2010-2080) climate change and urban growth scenario without additional land protection, and 2) same 70-year landscape change scenario but with additional terrestrial reserve areas (core areas) protected from development as established for Nature's Network landscape design.
2. ecoImpact associated with the INTEGRITY paper [updated 5/1/2018] — includes five landscape change scenarios: 1) baseline 70-year (2010-2080) climate change and urban growth scenario without additional land protection; 2) same as #1 but with 25% more demand for new development; 3) same as #1 but with increased sprawl to the pattern of development; 4) same as #1 but with both 25% more demand for new development and increased sprawl; and 5) same as #1 but with additional terrestrial reserve areas (core areas) protected from development as established for Nature's Network landscape design (naturesnetwork.org).