The theoretical framework andmethodology of a water ecological–economic system (WEES) assessment based on emergy synthesis are proposed in this paper. Through calculating ecological and economic inputs and outputs within and outside the complex system, this paper discusses the system’s economic situation, water resources development and system sustainability based on a series of emergy indicato...

the distinguishing characteristic in the third millennium is planning based on principles of sustainable development in line with nature and all activities related to urban issues. ecological concepts and consequently ecological park refers to a comprehensive and integrated set of measures which create coordination, balance between the constituent elements of the park in order to establish sust...

Discusses the interaction between socio-economic systems and their natural environment, by examining the indicators of sustainable development. Areas covered by the operationalization of sustainable development indicators; Details on the global nature of environmental problems; Important strategy of the operationalization of sustainable development; Link between economic data and ecological ind...

BACKGROUND Inequality in life expectancy (ILE) is defined as inequality in the distribution of expected span of life-based on data from survival tables estimated using the Atkinson inequality index. ILE can be influenced by socio-ecological indicators including the Gini coefficient, secondary education, output per worker, and old age pension. This study examined the effects on ILE from a social...

Taking departure in the theory of resilience in social-ecological systems, we present an analysis and discussion of how resilience theory can be applied to agroecosystems. Building on the premise that agroecosystems are too complex for resilience to be measured in any precise manner, we delineate behavior-based indicators of resilience within agroecosystems. Based on a review of relevant litera...

Rangeland ecosystems shift across dynamic thresholds between differentecological states in response to natural or human-induced factors. These differentecological states are the result of interactions among climate, soils, grazing history,and management practices. The notion of a single ‘‘pristine’’ final state is onlyconceptual in nature, and because of this, dynamic thresholds and the effects...

To understand ecological systems and environmental impact, techniques can be used which combine thermodynamics with environment and ecology. Most assessments consider thermodynamics via energy, but it many feel that ecological and environmental factors are better understood through exergy. One rationale is that exergy, not energy, is often a measure of the potential for ecological and environme...

There are many types of indicators, including those of the physical environment (e.g., climate), ecological, and socio-economic conditions. There is an entire professional journal devoted to the topic, called Ecological Indicators. Within marine systems, the most recent focus has been on developing indicators for ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). Significant recent literature on this...

Long-term measurements of ecological effects of warming are often not statistically significant because of annual variability or signal noise. These are reduced in indicators that filter or reduce the noise around the signal and allow effects of climate warming to emerge. In this way, certain indicators act as medium pass filters integrating the signal over years-to-decades. In the Alaskan Arct...