Resistance indicates whether a receptor can absorb disturbance or stress without changing character (adapted from Holling, 1973; Tillin et al., 2010; Tillin & Tyler-Walters, 2014).
Resistance (rank) |
Description |
None |
Key functional, structural, characterizing species severely decline and/or physico-chemical parameters are also affected e.g. removal of habitats causing change in habitats type. A severe decline/reduction relates to the loss of 75% of the extent, density or abundance of the selected species or habitat component e.g. loss of 75% substratum (where this can be sensibly applied). |
Low |
Significant mortality of key and characterizing species with some effects on physico-chemical character of habitat. A significant decline/reduction relates to the loss of 25-75% of the extent, density, or abundance of the selected species or habitat component e.g. loss of 25-75% of substratum. |
Medium |
Some mortality of species (can be significant where these are not keystone structural/functional and characterizing species) without change to habitats relates to the loss <25% of the species or habitat component. |
High |
No significant effects to the physico-chemical character of habitat and no effect on population viability of key/characterizing species but may affect feeding, respiration and reproduction rates. |