*2.1. Definitions and Criteria*

During our search, it emerged that the terms index/indicator are employed differently depending on the context (ecological, political, etc.), especially the term indicator, usage of which can vary widely [22]. For our purposes, we define the terms as follows:


Since our goal was to weigh information included in indexes/indicators used to evaluate the efficacy of biodiversity and national funding in agricultural contexts, and with a view to developing a pollinator indicator, we selected indexes/indicators based on two criteria:


To select indexes/indicators reflecting the first point, we surveyed official documents at the European and national level because whatever a new pollinator indicator might include, it must be suitable for future applications in fields that are not purely scientific. Since Italy is a European member state, European legislation and its indicators had to be considered. In some cases, however, they are applied flexibly, and national documents may explain how. Regarding the second criterion, we selected indexes/indicators already included in Italian national/regional regulation on arthropods or already considered to be bio-indicator organisms, at least by Italian government agencies. This second criterion refers to the fact that in temperate latitudes, pollination is mainly carried out by insects [16]. Bees, hoverflies and butterflies are constant visitors to flowers, where they forage for resources such as pollen and nectar. Like other insects, pollinator ranges of activity may be limited spatially and strongly influenced by vegetation/landscape characteristics. Some indicators referring to spatial context were therefore also considered here.
