Top-scoring vital sign and ecosystem assessment indicators for Puget Sound marine species and food webs.

*represents non-breeding populations.Top scoring marine species and food web indicators were evaluated with respect to each criterion and scored. Indicators with peer-reviewed publications providing consistent and strong findings for its support received a 1; indicators with peer-reviewed documents or expert opinion providing limited support received a 0.5; and indicators with no peer-reviewed evidence, evidence against, or conflicting support received a 0. If no references were available, no score was assigned. Vital sign and ecosystem assessment scores were calculated for each indicator by multiplying each criterion score by the corresponding weight and summing across all criteria. If an indicator received a score of 0 for any essential criteria (i.e., vital sign or ecosystem assessment criteria weighted as a 1), that indicator was considered to have a fatal flaw (designated as Yes). Indicators with an empty cell for essential criteria were reported as n/a.