\nplant and\/or animal communities that: 1) occur together on the landscape; and
\n2) are linked by similar ecological processes, underlying abiotic environmental
\nfactors, or gradients; and 3) form a readily identifiable unit on the ground
\n(Comer et al. 2003). In order to assess the health of Colorado\u2019s major
\necosystems, CNHP developed a dataset of large-sized (>20,000 acres) ecological
\nsystem patches for the \u201cState of Colorado\u2019s Biodiversity<\/a>\u201d project.
\nEcological systems were derived from the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis
\nProject landcover dataset (USGS 2004). <\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nDeveloping this dataset enabled CNHP to identify at-risk
\necosystems in Colorado. Individual patches were ranked on a scale of 1-10 based
\non overall condition status, threat status and protection status. Top threats
\nwere assigned to each patch. The results of the analysis show that many of
\nColorado\u2019s major ecosystems are intact, but only two are effectively conserved.
\nShortgrass prairie is by far the most altered ecological system. Nearly half of
\nthe shortgrass prairie in Colorado has been lost in the past century; however,
\nseveral large, high quality areas still exist. While these data are an
\neffective tool for broadly measuring current successes, they also highlight
\nintact landscapes that pose great opportunities for future conservation
\nefforts.<\/div>\n
\necosystems in Colorado. Individual patches were ranked on a scale of 1-10 based
\non overall condition status, threat status and protection status. Top threats
\nwere assigned to each patch. The results of the analysis show that many of
\nColorado\u2019s major ecosystems are intact, but only two are effectively conserved.
\nShortgrass prairie is by far the most altered ecological system. Nearly half of
\nthe shortgrass prairie in Colorado has been lost in the past century; however,
\nseveral large, high quality areas still exist. While these data are an
\neffective tool for broadly measuring current successes, they also highlight
\nintact landscapes that pose great opportunities for future conservation
\nefforts.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
![](\"https:\/\/cnhp.colostate.edu\/cnhpblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2018\/11\/system_scorecard_crop.tif_.jpg\")
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