With this document, the authors hope to stimulate Agencywide discussion on which ecological entities should be considered priorities for protection. They also propose a process by which decision makers can set specific ecological objectives to guide both assessment and action. The authors work group reviewed current trends in ecological protection, and found a pattern of longer-term objectives and increasing complexity of temporal and spatial scales. The authors also identified eight ecological entities of widespread concern and propose them as a list of common entities. The list can help turn the general goals provided by EPA laws into concrete, specific objectives that can guide assessments and actions.

"Discussion document." "Office of Research and Development"--Cover. "January 1997." "EPA/600/S-97/002." Includes bibliographical references. Shipping list no.: 97-0260-P.

Authors, contributors, and reviewers -- Executive summary -- 1. Introduction. Background -- Audience -- Approach -- Limitations -- 2. Values and trends. Laws -- Current policies and practices at EPA -- Current practices at other agencies -- Community- and place-based projects -- Other indications -- Conclusions: some common areas of consideration -- 3. Ecological integrity. Ecological integrity -- Sustainability -- Resiliency -- Biodiversity -- Ecological processes and interactions -- How to incorporate ecological integrity into goals and objectives -- 4. Ecological entities to be protected. Some criteria for prioritizing ecological protection -- Some commonly valued ecological entities -- 5. Practical advice. Ecological risk assessment -- Application to national programs' risk-based decisions -- CBEP projects -- Waquoit Bay -- 6. Next steps. Glossary -- Bibliography -- Appendices -- Appendix A: Ecosystem concepts -- Appendix B: EPA past consideration of concerns by concern category and major EPA office -- Appendix C: Recent policies of federal resource management agencies -- Appendix D: Some community projects -- Appendix E: Lists of special places -- Appendix F: Statutory provisions that authorize EPA to consider specific concerns. With this document, the authors hope to stimulate U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discussion on which ecological entities should be considered priorities for protection. They also propose a process by which decision makers can set specific ecological objectives to guide both assessment and action. In this report, the authors identified eight ecological entities of widespread concern -- aquatic communities in lakes, streams, and estuaries; regional populations of 15 native species and their habitats; severe episodic threats (such as massive bird or fish kills); 16 important ecosystems functions and services; wetlands; endangered ecosystems; 17 endangered species and their habitats; and other "special places". They hope that this list can help turn the general goals provided by EPA laws into concrete, specific objectives that can guide future assessments and actions.