The Marine Life Information Network

Information on the biology of species and the ecology of habitats found around the coasts and seas of the British Isles

Resistance scale

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.