@article {Fath20191, title = {Ecological network analysis metrics: The need for an entire ecosystem approach in management and policy}, journal = {Ocean and Coastal Management}, volume = {174}, year = {2019}, note = {cited By 8}, pages = {1-14}, publisher = {Elsevier Ltd}, abstract = {In this paper, we identified seven ecological network analysis (ENA) metrics that, in our opinion, have high potential to provide useful and practical information for environmental decision-makers and stakeholders. Measurement and quantification of the network indicators requires that an ecosystem level assessment is implemented. The ENA metrics convey the status of the ecological system state variables, and mostly, the flows and relations between the various nodes of the network. The seven metrics are: 1) Average Path Length (APL), 2) Finn Cycling Index (FCI), 3) Mean Trophic level (MTL), 4) Detritivory to Herbivory ratio (D:H), 5) Keystoneness, 6) Structural Information (SI), and 7) Flow-based Information indices. The procedure for calculating each metric is detailed along with a short evaluation of their potential assessment of environmental status. {\textcopyright} 2019 Elsevier Ltd}, keywords = {coastal zone, Cycling, Decision making, ecological approach, Ecological network analysis, ecosystem approach, ecosystem management, Ecosystems, environmental policy, food web, Food webs, Marine and coastal environments, Marine environment, network analysis, policy implementation, stakeholder, Trophic length}, issn = {09645691}, doi = {10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2019.03.007}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0964569118305969}, author = {Fath, B.D. and H Asmus and R. Asmus and Baird, D. and Borrett, S.R. and de Jonge, V.N. and Ludovisi, A. and Nathalie Niquil and Scharler, U.M. and Sch{\"u}ckel, U. and Wolff, M.} }