NRCS Ecosystem Indicators Report - Appendix A — Examples of Assessment Questions

Assessment questions are presented by framing question. These questions are not intended to be an all inclusive list. Additional questions can be added by the stakeholders as needed.

Framing Question 1: Are precipitation and ground water resources captured, stored, used and released in a safe and stable manner?

Are water losses to runoff and evaporation in balance with soil and plant resources?

Are irrigation waters efficiently and timely used?

Are perennial stream flows, and ground water aquifers and water storage reservoir volumes, stable (within natural or acceptable range of variability)?

Framing Question 2: Are kinds and flows of chemicals (minerals, nutrients, other) and energy in balance and optimized for plant and animal communities and biomass production requirements?

What is the spatial distribution of nutrients and energy?

What is the temporal distribution of nutrients and energy?

Are nutrients and/or minerals being lost from the system?

Are nutrients and/or minerals accumulating in the system?

Framing Question 3: Are annual cash flows, technical assistance and conservation incentives timely and adequate for desired community and landuser incomes?

Are financial conditions or incentives sufficient to sustain system enterprises?

Are levels of landowner participation in government sponsored resource conservation programs consistent with production potentials/limitations of the system?

Framing Question 4: Are soil, water, air, plant and animal resources and biophysical processes in place and in a condition to allow timely and full recovery from stresses and disturbances and to meet management objectives?

Are pest populations being held in check by predators?

Are desired species being damaged by predators?

Has human intervention substituted for natural predation in pest control?

Are crop losses above economic thresholds?

Is the system affected by periodic natural disturbance?

Is the system affected by periodic management disturbance?

Is there evidence of recovery without human intervention?

Is there evidence of recovery with human intervention?

Are soil parameters within ranges sufficient to allow recovery from stresses?

Do soils have capacity to buffer toxic effects from contaminants?

Are all levels of the food web in place and functioning?

Is recovery impaired due to species competition?

Are managed species varied spatially and temporally in order to minimize risk of catastrophic loss?

Is there sufficient genetic variation in the managed species to minimize risk of catastrophic loss?

Is there a sufficient soil seed bank to revegetate disturbed areas?

Framing Question 5: Are social and economic systems available to allow landusers and communities and the resources they manage to recover from environmental and socioeconomic stresses?

Does grower's enterprise contain diverse sources of income?

Does the community have a diverse revenue base?

Does current management system allow enterprise to remain competitive within local, national and international economies?

Does the producer have latitude to make decisions about management or do others control those choices?

Can producer pay debts/taxes?

Can producer incur new debt in response to changes in commodity and financial markets, natural conditions, or public regulations?

Does producer have discretionary income?

Does grower have access to personal, community, or public forms of financial, material, or technical assistance?

Framing Question 6: Are there human and animal resource health concerns associated with the management of present or planned enterprises?

Are there documented harmful health effects of current management methods for animals or humans?

Are there risks from the types and methods of application of agrichemicals?

Are current practices safe?

Are there broader community health risks from local enterprise management?

Framing Question 7: Do landscape features and patterns facilitate use, protection and optimization of ecosystem processes?

What are the trends in ownership patterns?

What are the trends in development patterns (acreage's, ranchettes)?

What is the compatibility of developing uses?

What are the patterns of land cover?

What are the major land uses (homogeneity)?

Are there zoning restrictions?

What is the distribution of vegetation/use types?

To what extent is the natural vegetation fragmented?

What is the size class distribution and diversity of landscape patches?

Do the political borders correspond with ecological, economic, social and institutional boundaries and/or functions of interest?

What is the relationship between ecological and economic processes?

Is the ecosystem/watershed/area sufficiently uniform to produce predictable responses to changes suggested by planners, especially with respect to the ecological, economic and social considerations?

What is the spatial pattern and diversity of native flora and fauna?

What are the kinds, amounts and connectedness of habitats along water courses and water bodies?

Framing Question 8: Do commodity markets, investment capital and public programs encourage landuses, enterprises and resource management that are compatible with ecosystem processes?

What is the size class distribution and diversity of landscape patches?

What markets are in place (grain elevators, saw mill, stock yards, tourism)?

What products are supported?

What commodity programs are in place?

Is there a presence of program provisions allowing land setasides?

Framing Question 9: Are decision-making processes available to communities and individuals to resolve conflicts regarding current and desired uses, management and protection of natural resources?

What is the community dynamics?

What is the cultural diversity?

Are there subgroups or subcultures in the population?

Are there institutional constraints?

What types of partnerships exist?

What is the number of civic and community groups?

What percent of the community participates in elections, meetings and/or hearings?

What data and information processes are available?

Is there a process in place for selecting the best indicators for measuring the impact of land use decisions on ecological, economic and social conditions?

What is the kind and nature of community governments?

Is there a presence of land and water growth management plans?

What are the comparative statistics and trends on literacy and education accomplishments?

What are the kinds, frequency and ethnic attendance of cultural celebrations?

What is the history of successful citizen/community initiatives?

Framing Question 10: Does the social infrastructure (health care, education, multi-culture recognition, etc.) support and promote the desired quality of life for the communities and individuals?

How effective and efficient are the modes of transportation and communication?

Are the health, education, and banking facilities distributed for universal use?

What structure is in place to promote a healthy food supply?

What is the incidence of illness that might be related to agricultural practices in the area?

Framing Question 11: Are current and planned landuses and desired future conditions suited to the abiotic conditions (e.g., stream temperature, flow velocities, riffle/pool ratios, riparian shading, climate, topography, soils and geology)?

What is the landuse (s) of the resource?

What are the major soil types and what kinds of soil properties can potentially limit the intended landuse?

What are the water sources and quality of water source for desired use?

What is the general texture of the surface soil horizon? Is the texture likely to make soils unstable if vegetative cover is removed?

Is the land surface of sufficient steepness to limit machine-intensive management options? Does the steepness contribute to slope instability?

Does the land have a general aspect toward a specific compass point?

Does the potential evapotranspiration of the site equal or exceed the average precipitation?

What are key limitations of physical habitat?

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