The instruments focus on organismal diversity, and in some cases also consider structural diversity and landscape elements. For certain instruments, multi-year data series or evaluation studies already exist. Next steps include adapting a conceptual approach for Austrian agricultural holdings and ultimately further activities towards testing and validation.

Since large-scale on-site surveys are often not feasible, a key challenge for an instrument for applied biodiversity assessment lies in delivering valid results using simple methods for collecting representative variables. Content and construct validity indicate (a) the underlying conception of biodiversity and (b) whether this conception is covered by the operationalized construct and the collected indicators. The results for the available assessment instruments show that species diversity is primarily used as an indicator of biodiversity. Often, specific or sensitive (stenotopic) species are selected, and valuable habitats are frequently considered as an additional indicator. Validation in these approaches was primarily based on vascular plants and grasshoppers, for both arable land and grassland, but in most cases, other species were also included.

• Elements in the Austrian Programme for Environmentally Sound Agriculture (ÖPUL), such as the example measure "Results-oriented nature conservation planning" (ENP)
• Example projects such as “Biodiversity monitoring with farmers – We look at our meadows and alpine pastures”
• the multitude of existing programs and long-term projects for monitoring, protecting and promoting biodiversity in the agricultural context,
• the starting point for the agricultural biodiversity indicators and the Austrian Biodiversity Strategy 2020+,

Project progress

The project has so far focused on discussing different methodological approaches and selecting a concept with high prospective predictive power and practicality. Specific Austrian conditions were taken into account, such as the fact that biodiversity refers, for example, to the diversity of plants in managed grassland as well as the diversity of animal species within it. A significant contribution to this can be made, for instance, by the tiered use of meadows or areas with high ecological value, such as extensive grassland. Diversity also includes the diversity of the landscape, such as different land use types or landscape features like hedgerows, and also the biodiversity of livestock, which constitutes a separate research area at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. Many attempts are made to support biodiversity through local projects, such as the creation of flowering strips to promote plant diversity for pollinators. Measures affecting agricultural land—such as flowering strips—are also recorded using the biodiversity assessment tool.

The FarmLife BD project explores tools for biodiversity assessment on farms. It compares different concepts, models, and their potential application in life cycle assessments (LCAs) for agricultural operations. The ultimate goal is to develop and program a biodiversity assessment tool for farms within the FarmLife farm management system. This will enable farmers to easily understand how well they are providing biodiversity services and identify areas for improvement.

The aim is to develop a system for assessing the effects of different agricultural farming practices and management on biodiversity on the farm and to integrate it into the FarmLife tool.