Using the AMOEBA approach to measure progress toward ecosystem sustainability within a shellfish restoration project in North Carolina

Abstract Sustainable development, a concept of concern today in the political decision-making arena, captures and combines the need for economic development and the urgency of ecosystem protection. Sustainability indicators not only describe the environmental situation and the current burden on it; they also show what environmental burden the ecosystem is able to withstand in the long-run. Sustainability indicators tell us if, and to what degree, we are making progress toward the goal of sustainable development. This paper examines the purposes and requirements of sustainability indicators, using the AMOEBA approach as its main focus. AMOEBA, in the Dutch language, stands for ‘general method of ecosystem description and assessment’. In the AMOEBA approach, quantitative and verifiable objectives are developed that allow for a quantitative description and assessment of ecosystems. The AMOEBA approach is a tool in aiding political decision makers to better understand the ecological status of an area of concern. AMOEBA is described both in general terms and with respect to its application at Jumping Run Creek shellfish restoration project in North Carolina. The project seeks to mitigate impacts to watershed hydrology due to land use changes that contribute to excessive bacterial loading and bed closure. Parameters being studied are indicators of bacterial stores, hydrologic modification and building density. An altered AMOEBA was developed which graphically presents the selected indicators and allows for an assessment of ecosystem impairments.