Structural indicators for the assessment of biodiversity and their connection to the richness of avifauna

Biodiversity can, on the one hand be seen as a basis for ecosystem services and consequently for the associated human welfare; on the other, biodiversity as such has an independent value for man. However, biodiversity means not only the diversity of species, but also encompasses a number of manifestations of land use and the occurrence of genes, which also contribute to biodiversity, and which require assessment by suitable indicators.The present study seeks to describe biodiversity not only at the species level, but also the level of landscape variety, and to ascertain the connections between them. Its purpose is to develop a set of indicators for a comprehensive representation of biodiversity which contains species and habitat characteristics and can be used for planning practice and for scenarios.The study area is the district of Görlitz in the German state of Saxony, which borders Poland and the Czech Republic. Details regarding the population size of Red List bird species for the time period 2003–2007 were analyzed, using data from the MultibaseCS database of the Saxon state Conservation of Nature Authority. Land use and specific land elements derived from the 2005 biotope mapping process were described by state indicators. In addition, regional statistical data on traffic volume and paved areas were used as impact indicators. All indicators were compiled and compared based on a 1000 m grid, so as to ascertain statistical correlations.The highest correlations between a combined species metric (“species-sum index”) and landscape structure indicators were ascertained for birds of water and wetland habitats. However, those indicators revealed only slight correlations for birds in the other two landscape types, forests and open country. The best connections for all three habitat types between species and structural data were found using edge density indicators. All significant correlations were helpful for the evaluation of future landscape scenarios and, therefore provide a good basis for the design and implementation of planning goals.