ECOSYSTEM HEALTH, LANDSCAPE VULNERABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT

Ecosystem health is evaluated as an integrated assessment based on eco system stability, resilience, and vulnerability concepts. Special emph asis is focused on two dimensions in the ecosystem health concept: a g eocentric approach (i.e., considering any impacts or interactions in t erms of their effects on natural geosystems or ecosystems) which deals with assessment of natural ecosystems and their disturbance; and an a nthropocentric approach, which concerns effects on human beings and hu man environment. Analysis of the relevant terminology leads to the dev elopment of a conceptual framework for ecosystem health. A suggested m ethod of environmental risk assessment is based on ranking and merging into one criterion a series of individual estimates: bioresources abu ndance, biodiversity, ecosystem stability and resilience, and feedback effects of a disturbed environment on human beings and their activiti es.