The ecodiver index in the evaluation of habitats: a complementary methodology for forest inventory in the elaboration of technical plans and ordinance of land, environmental planning and administration of natural resources

Abstract

The evaluation of habitats can be carried out from a number of different points of view (biological diversity, ecological value, economic evaluation, etc.) and with the use of different techniques. Here we propose and discuss a theoretical methodology for a global index of vegetation, that weighs the value of biological aspects, of conservation and of the benefits for human use. The «ecodiver» index is thought off as a global index that incorporates the most valued approaches contained in previous studies. This index is an arithmetic mean of other more specific or more intuitive indexes. The aspects considered by this proposal include endemicity (E), the degree of conservation (CO), primary ecological diversity (DIVE) and natural resources of vegetation (R).