Constellations of Criteria

Abstract

It is not uncommon for different kinds of considerations to enter into a prioritization context. Each consideration can have a constellation of indicators, and these constellations may be complementary or conflicting. Data on such an Italian context come from Angelo Pecci (personal communication) working with Prof. Orazio Rossi at University of Parma in relation to Italian Map of Nature on data from ISPRA and Ministry of Environment of Italy (Rossi et al. 2008). Basic ecological assessment is conducted at the level of a contiguous tract (ecotope) of a designated type. One constellation of indicators speaks to ecological value, and another constellation of indicators speaks to ecological sensitivity (to disruptions). Compilations have been done for ecological value and sensitivity over civil divisions called communes. Each commune thus has a suite (constellation) of indicators for ecological value and another for ecological sensitivity. Additionally, each commune has a constellation of indicators that speaks to human pressure on the natural elements. One situation of interest is to determine communes where there is high ecological value that also has high sensitivity in company with high human pressure. Such communes would be candidates for what might be called conservation crisis intervention through special funding programs. The data covers 108 communes, for which we are not presently concerned with their specific identity or location. Only what emerges analytically from the data is given here so that the data and identities remain anonymous.