Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC)

Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC) is a new structured protocol for assessing the condition of an ecosystem relative to a given reference condition. This report describes in detail how each step of the assessment should be performed. The assessment is done by a panel of scientists with openings for stakeholder involvement. As a basis for the assessment, a set of ecosystem characteristics are defined, that together capture key aspects of structure and processes in the system and covering both biotic and abiotic parts of the ecosystem.