GENERALIZED ECOSYSTEM INDICES: ECOLOGICAL SCALING AND ECOLOGICAL RISK

摘要

The way of multidimensional ecological scaling is developed. Within the framework of this procedure the ecological monitoring multidimensional data are converted into Ecosystem Index (EI). (This may be considered as a model of "ecological thermometer"). This method is based on the following procedures: reduction of the dimensionality of monitoring data, discrimination, clusterisation, classification and multiple regression. The scaling factors for ecological scale are introduced in terms of Multidimensional Reference Ecological Images, which are assigned by experts. The state of the ecosystem is reflected on the scale by value EI which may be interpreted as Ecological Risk. The evolution of the ecosystem position along scale may be used for decision-making. The method is demonstrated in two examples: contamination of several ecological chains by single radionuclide and contamination of single chain (soil) by several radionuclides.