Showing papers in "Ecosystem services in 2019"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an overview of existing CES evaluation methods, to classify them, to analyze them, and to highlight important challenges and to offer suggestions for future study.
Abstract: Cultural ecosystem services (CES) refer to the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems, and they have direct influence on quality of life. Although the concept of CES has been well accepted, they are rarely fully investigated. A significant barrier is the method for evaluating CES. This paper conducts a literature review of CES evaluation methods. Our aims are the following: to provide an overview of existing CES evaluation methods, to classify them, to analyze them, to highlight important challenges and to offer suggestions for future study. This study has reviewed 293 papers and identified 20 evaluation methods. To conclude, we (i) emphasize considering all CES categories. More specifically, consistent classification systems for CES and unambiguous descriptions of each category are needed; (ii) highlight a combination of methods to enable a better evaluation of CES and call for integrating monetary and non-monetary methods, which does not indicate merely adding the different parts but rather focusing on the interactions between these components, especially by means of deliberative, participatory and mapping techniques; (iii) encourage more stated preference methods, such as the Q-method and narratives, to evaluate neglected services; (iv) propose that in-depth study of CES evaluation process is required to improve evaluation accuracy.
164 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of land use and land cover and quantified the change in three important ecosystem services (food production, carbon storage, and habitat quality) in the Koshi River Basin, Nepal during 1996-2016 by using freely available data and tools such as, Landsat satellite images and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model.
Abstract: The provision of ecosystem services is directly related to the type of land use and land cover and management practices in a given area. Changes in land use and land cover can alter the supply of ecosystem services and affect the well-being of both humanity and nature. This study analyses the spatiotemporal variations of land use and land cover and quantifies the change in three important ecosystem services (food production, carbon storage, and habitat quality) in the Koshi River Basin, Nepal during 1996–2016 by using freely available data and tools such as, Landsat satellite images and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model. During the observed time period, there was an overall gain in urban areas (190 sq.km), forests (773 sq.km) and grassland (431 sq.km); loss of cultivated land (220 sq.km) and shrub lands (847 sq.km), mostly occurring in the lowlands (≤1000 m). As a result of the land cover changes, while food production and carbon storage showed a declining trend, overall habitat quality in the basin increased. There is a need to design novel and effective landscape approaches that address local realities and that will aid the maintenance of ecosystem services. We recommend landscape level planning to improve urban and agricultural sectors and focus on halting the loss of ecosystem services.
157 citations
TL;DR: Li et al. as mentioned in this paper used the CLUE-S model to simulate land use change in 2030, and explored the spatial pattern and relationship of different ecosystem services under the four scenarios of GFGP.
Abstract: One of the main manifestations of the Grain-for-Green Programme (GFGP) is land use change, which will affect the trade-off of ecosystem services. Since the implementation of the GFGP in Dali Autonomous Prefecture in 2000, land use/cover has undergone dramatic changes. This study used the CLUE-S model to simulate land use change in 2030, and explored the spatial pattern and relationship of different ecosystem services under the four scenarios of GFGP. The results show that, GFGP can help to improve indirect services of ecosystems, such as carbon storage and soil conservation. However, direct services of the ecosystem will decline, such as food production and water yield. Compared with 2010, the overall supply level of the four ecosystem services is the most balanced in the moderate GFGP scenario. In this scenario, total food production decreased by 179,000 tons and water yield decreased by 57 million cubic meters. Carbon storage and soil conservation continued to grow, increasing by 21.86 million tons and 17.87 million tons, respectively. The changes of ecosystem services in the strong GFGP scenario are extreme. The increases in carbon storage and soil conservation are at the expense of a significant reduction in food production and water yield. It can be concluded that GFGP may lead to intensifying ecosystem services trade-offs. Through comparing the changes of ecosystem services under different GFGP scenarios, it is found that the implementation intensity of GFGP should be deeply concerned in policy making.
101 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined how people ascribe and explain the importance of a range of marine and terrestrial ecosystem services in three coastal communities in Papua New Guinea, using a mixed-methods approach that combines a non-monetary ranking and rating assessment of multiple ecosystem services, with a socioeconomic survey (N = 139) and qualitative explanations of why ecosystem services matter.
Abstract: Coastal ecosystems support the livelihoods and wellbeing of millions of people worldwide. However, the marine and terrestrial ecosystem services that coastal ecosystems provide are particularly vulnerable to global environmental change, as are the coastal communities who directly depend on them. To navigate these changes and ensure the wellbeing of coastal communities, policy-makers must know which coastal ecosystem services matter to whom, and why. Yet, in developing coastal settings, capturing people's perceptions of the importance of ecosystem services is challenging for several reasons. Firstly, coastal ecosystem services encompass both terrestrial and marine services across multiple categories (i.e. provisioning, supporting, and cultural) that are difficult to value together. Secondly, widely used monetary valuation techniques are often inappropriate because of culturally specific attributions of value, and the intangible nature of key cultural ecosystem services. Thirdly, people within communities may hold different ecosystem services values. In this paper, we examine how people ascribe and explain the importance of a range of marine and terrestrial ecosystem services in three coastal communities in Papua New Guinea. We use a mixed-methods approach that combines a non-monetary ranking and rating assessment of multiple ecosystem services, with a socio-economic survey (N = 139) and qualitative explanations of why ecosystem services matter. We find that people uniformly ascribe the most importance to marine and terrestrial provisioning services that directly support their livelihoods and material wellbeing. However, within communities, gender, wealth, and years of formal schooling do shape some differences in how people rate ecosystem services. In addition, although cultural ecosystem services were often rated lower, people emphasized that they ranked provisioning services highly, in part, because of their contribution to cultural values like bequest. People also expressed concern about extractive ecosystem services, like fuelwood, that were perceived to be destructive, and were rated low. We contend that comprehensive ecosystem services assessments that include narratives can capture the broad importance of a range of ecosystem services, alongside relational values and normative judgements. This exploratory approach is a useful step towards understanding the complexities of ecosystem services in developing coastal settings.
96 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated how various stakeholders perceive the delivery of ES supply bundles across different landscapes and how this differs from the ES demand bundles they request, and concluded that stakeholders experience different mismatches between the supply and demand of ES, potentially leading to stakeholder conflicts in landscape management.
Abstract: Recent developments in Ecosystem Service (ES) research show a growing interest in the concept of ES bundles for informing the effective management of landscapes. While the supply of ES bundles was biophysically assessed, there has been little research about the perception of ES bundles, neither in terms of their supply, nor of their demand. This research investigates how various stakeholders perceive the delivery of ES supply bundles across different landscapes and how this differs from the ES demand bundles they request. A questionnaire survey (n = 858) was carried out on the basis of landscape photographs with local farmers, local inhabitants, and visitors in the region of South Tyrol in the Central Alps. The results show that the different stakeholder groups identify identical ES supply bundles (i.e. experiential service, life maintenance service, agroservice bundle) and associate each with a similar set of landscape types. Stakeholders, however, differ in terms of their expressed demand for ES bundles. These findings suggest that stakeholders experience different (spatial) mismatches between the supply and demand of ES, potentially leading to stakeholder conflicts in landscape management. This study concludes by discussing these potential conflicts across different landscapes and in the context of future land use and management decisions.
92 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a conceptual framework that describes how capacity, demand, and flow of urban regulating ecosystem services, and related benefits, are linked to the main variables controlled by urban planning.
Abstract: Urban planning is the most relevant decision-making process affecting urban regulating ecosystem services. However, a clear understanding of the effects of planning decisions on both the supply and demand of urban regulating ecosystem services is still lacking. To support planners in enhancing urban regulating ecosystem services, there is a need to understand what variables are at stake and how changes in planning-related variables may affect urban regulating ecosystem services. The article presents a conceptual framework that describes how capacity, demand, and flow of urban regulating ecosystem services, and related benefits, are linked to the main variables controlled by urban planning, i.e. the location, typology, and size of urban green infrastructure, and the spatial distribution and vulnerability profile of population and physical assets. The variables and links described in the framework are then detailed for seven urban regulating ecosystem services. The analysis reveals, for each service, what are the main levers on which planners can act to shape the amount and spatial distribution of urban regulating ecosystem services and related benefits across the city. Uses and limitations of the proposed framework are discussed, and some key messages are drawn for planners on how to operationalise the findings.
84 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors presented a framework for integrating ES synergies/trade-offs and approaches (win-win, small loss-big gain, and ES replacement) to improve the match between ES supply and demand.
Abstract: Ecosystem services (ES) underpin human well-being, but their complex synergies or trade-offs are a challenge for matching ES supply and demand. This study presents a framework for integrating ES synergies/trade-offs and approaches (“win-win”, “small loss-big gain” and “ES replacement”) to improve the match between ES supply and demand. We applied the framework in a watershed on China’s Hainan Island, where local ES supply and demand are severely out of balance. Based on the analyses of ES synergies/trade-offs and their drivers, selecting the “win-win” approach (planting rubber with intercropped medicinal plants) and “ES replacement” approach (transitioning some secondary forest into rubber intercropped with medicinal plants) together could effectively improve the match between the supply and demand of agricultural product provision (its supply-demand ratio increased from 0.65 to 1.3) without disrupting the established supply-demand matches of water resource provision, soil retention, flood mitigation and water purification services. Our framework contributes to a new perspective for improving the match between ES supply and demand.
83 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a meta-analysis of 1156 peer-reviewed journal articles from 1994 to 2017, focusing on temporal trends, methodological approaches, the types of services most frequently evaluated, and the origin of ES valuation research, especially biomes, economy, and management modalities.
Abstract: Ecosystem Services (ES) are critically important to human well-being, and sustaining economic growth and livelihoods. Globally, valuation research has increased markedly over the past two decades, partly due to the influence of environmentalism and the notable depletion of ES. Using meta-analysis of 1156 peer-reviewed journal articles from 1994 to 2017, this study assesses forest ES valuation, focusing on temporal trends, methodological approaches, the types of services most frequently evaluated, and the origin of ES valuation research, especially biomes, economy, and management modalities. Findings suggest that western European countries, including the UK, had the highest number of publications (33%) followed by the United States (15%) and China (13%). Countries with lower middle and low income collectively share only about 14% of the total publications, indicating a large gap in ES research in these countries. In terms of valuation methods, monetary valuation was initially popular, while non-monetary valuation using modelling and mapping methods is gaining popularity. The study revealed that more than 80% of studies have consistently assessed multiple functions of forests but largely focus on regulating services (carbon storage/sequestration/climate regulation). Similarly, about 57% of total ES research was carried out on public land, government managed forests and protected areas, whereas less than 3% was on community-based forestry (CBF), which shares more than 15% and 31% of the forests in developed and developing countries, respectively. Whilst ES publications on forestry have seen significant increases, valuation studies in countries with high biodiversity are conspicuously unrepresented; particularly on forests in mountain regions in low to lower-middle income countries. Some reasons for this disparity in ES research under four themes are discussed, in connection with the global climate change, biodiversity policies, and national, bilateral and multilateral initiatives.
83 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that the time is ripe to put more efforts in developing integrated research on the ecosystem services provided by insects, as they may result in solutions to achieve many SDGs.
Abstract: Ecosystem services underpin all dimensions of human wellbeing. As a consequence it is crucial to integrate ecosystem services into strategies for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Because insects and other invertebrates have profound and well-identified influences on many ecosystems services (e.g. pollination and biological control) and SDGs (e.g. crop pest and disease vectors), insect research and development have a great potential to address current global challenges. In this commentary we argue that time is ripe to put more efforts in developing integrated research on the ecosystem services provided by insects, as they may result in solutions to achieve many SDGs. We provide evidence of insects' utility to address global challenges and propose a framework of the needed shift in the perception of insects from enemies and allies, providers of ecosystem services, to solutions to achieve SDGs. We further advocate that making a place for SDG-relevant research on insects' ecosystem services requires transforming existing academic knowledge into applications-driven science, a potential up-scaling of local solutions and socio-economic relevance. The immediate implication for scientific undertaking is a need to shift from approaches in which academia and society poorly interact to more integrated dynamics, sustained by solid cooperative extension systems.
81 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the economic performance of marketable ecosystem services (ES) and non-marketable ES (groundwater, nutrient loss, soil loss, carbon sequestration, pollination deficit) in 11 contrasting European landscapes dominated by agroforestry land use compared to business as usual agricultural practice was assessed using environmental modelling and economic valuation.
Abstract: The study assessed the economic performance of marketable ecosystem services (ES) (biomass production) and non-marketable ecosystem services and dis-services (groundwater, nutrient loss, soil loss, carbon sequestration, pollination deficit) in 11 contrasting European landscapes dominated by agroforestry land use compared to business as usual agricultural practice. The productivity and profitability of the farming activities and the associated ES were quantified using environmental modelling and economic valuation. After accounting for labour and machinery costs the financial value of the outputs of Mediterranean agroforestry systems tended to be greater than the corresponding agricultural system; but in Atlantic and Continental regions the agricultural system tended to be more profitable. However, when economic values for the associated ES were included, the relative profitability of agroforestry increased. Agroforestry landscapes: (i) were associated to reduced externalities of pollution from nutrient and soil losses, and (ii) generated additional benefits from carbon capture and storage and thus generated an overall higher economic gain. Our findings underline how a market system that includes the values of broader ES would result in land use change favouring multifunctional agroforestry. Imposing penalties for dis-services or payments for services would reflect their real world prices and would make agroforestry a more financially profitable system.
76 citations
TL;DR: Li et al. as discussed by the authors evaluated five ecosystem services at three scales (local, township, and county) based on spatial data and statistical data in Hulunbuir, which is a significant ecological function zone in Northeast China.
Abstract: Identifying relationships that exist between ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand at different scales is considered crucial to the sustainable management of ecosystem services. Five ecosystem services at three scales (local, township, and county) were evaluated based on spatial data and statistical data in Hulunbuir, which is a significant ecological function zone in Northeast China. Our results showed that (1) ES spatial patterns have more similarities between the local scale and the township scale than between the local scale and the county scale. The distribution of ESDR (ecological supply-demand ratio) values of carbon sequestration and landscape aesthetic (LA) services at the three scales is highly heterogeneous. (2) There are a higher number of significantly correlated ES supply and demand pairs at the local and township scales than at the county scale, but the ES pairs at the county scale are more highly correlated. The positive or negative correlation of different ESs sometimes changes as scales change. (3) Different factors affect ecosystem services at different scales. The built-up ratio has a dominant negative effect on GP (grain production), MP (meat production), NPP (net primary productivity), and LA at the township scale. Arable land and grassland have significant effects on NPP, WY, and LA at the county scale (4) For ecosystem service management, a combination of township and county scale assessments should be used. Considering the overall situation of supply of and demand for ecosystem services at a larger scale while implementing more precise management measures at a smaller scale can make the management of ecosystem services more effective. Natural forests and grasslands in the study area should be protected appropriately, and developing water-saving agricultural measures and appropriately raising the price of domestic water can help alleviate the lack of water resources.
TL;DR: In this article, a novel approach, borrowing techniques from machine learning (image analysis), natural language processing (Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA)) and self-organising maps (SOM), was demonstrated to collect and interpret >20,000 photos from the Camargue region in Southern France.
Abstract: Information and numbers on the use and appreciation of nature are valuable information for protected area (PA) managers. A promising direction is the utilisation of social media, such as the photo-sharing website Flickr. Here we demonstrate a novel approach, borrowing techniques from machine learning (image analysis), natural language processing (Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA)) and self-organising maps (SOM), to collect and interpret >20,000 photos from the Camargue region in Southern France. From the perspective of Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES), we assessed the relationship between the use of the Camargue delta and the presence of natural elements by consulting local managers. Clustering algorithms applied to results of the LSA data revealed six distinct user groups, which included those interested in nature, ornithology, religious pilgrimage, general tourists and aviation enthusiasts. For each group, we produced high-resolution spatial and seasonal maps, which matched known recreational attractions and annual festivals in the Camargue. The accuracy of the group identification, and the spatial and temporal patterns of photo activity, in the Camargue delta were evaluated by local managers of the Camargue regional park. This study demonstrates how PA managers can harness social-media to monitor recreation and improve their management decision making.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors highlight the relevance and complementarity of ecosystem disservices (EDS) to the ES concept for analyzing SES, and advocate applying EDS to SES research more systematically.
Abstract: Ecosystem disservices (EDS) highlight the negative effects of nature on human well-being. Like ecosystem services (ES), EDS impact economic and non-economic aspects of human life within social-ecological systems (SES). The concept of EDS has been much debated, with strongly differing opinions regarding its utility and implications. In this opinion paper, we emphasize its relevance and complementarity to the ES concept for analyzing SES, and advocate applying EDS to SES research more systematically. Firstly, we highlight that though EDS are now sometimes studied, they remain neglected compared to ES. Secondly, we propose five reasons why EDS and ES are complementary concepts. Thirdly, we suggest that EDS are critical to understanding stakeholders’ behavior regarding ecosystems. Drawing on existing studies, we illustrate how stakeholders in SES simultaneously perceive and benefit or suffer from ES and EDS. We further suggest that, under certain conditions, EDS may influence people’s behavior more than ES. Such 'EDS-biased behavior' implies that, under certain circumstances, targeting EDS reduction may be more effective than targeting ES increase to encourage nature-friendly behaviors. Finally, we provide five recommendations to further integrate ES and EDS in research, as a pathway towards improving the understanding of SES and the effectiveness of sustainability policies.
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual and practical framework for investigating sense of place as a category of cultural ecosystem services is established, drawing upon transdisciplinary research on assessing cultural value and ecosystem change in the Irish Sea.
Abstract: In this paper we aim to establish a conceptual and practical framework for investigating sense of place as a category of cultural ecosystem services, drawing upon transdisciplinary research on assessing cultural value and ecosystem change in the Irish Sea. We examine sense of place as a material phenomenon, embedded in and expressive of the relationship between determining ecological conditions of particular locations and the determining social and cultural conditions of human habitation. Our emphasis on sense of place as a material phenomenon contrasts with the prevailing tendency in ecosystem services literature to treat cultural ecosystem services as ‘non-material’, ‘immaterial’, or ‘intangible’, and builds on a call to conceptualize cultural ecosystem services in ‘a more theoretically nuanced approach’ which yields practical means of researching and assessing cultural benefits (Fish et al., 2016a, p. 215). The paper emerges from a transdisciplinary project on ‘The Cultural Value of Coastlines’, which seeks to define a mechanism for integrating materialist research on cultural benefits into the ecosystem services framework. We demonstrate the need for a more significant role for sense of place as a category of cultural ecosystem services, and for research practices which can account for the material and socially-produced nature of sense of place.
TL;DR: In this paper, the relative benefits (provisioning) and importance (regulating and cultural) of forest ecosystem services to households in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region of Bangladesh were examined.
Abstract: This study examines the relative benefits (provisioning) and importance (regulating and cultural) of forest ecosystem services to households in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region of Bangladesh. Our results from 300 household interviews in three rural locations stratified by wealth shows that wealth levels of the respondents play a key role in explaining variations in the perceptions and use of forest ecosystem services. Considering the direct benefits, the importance of provisioning ecosystem services (i.e. fuel wood, food, timber, bamboo, thatch grass and fodder) varies according to their relative use (i.e. subsistence and cash income) among households of different wealth groups. No significant difference was found in perceptions of indirect benefits of forest ecosystem services of water purification, regulating air quality, crop pollination, soil fertility, aesthetic and spiritual services. But the higher wealth groups perceived soil protection, soil fertility, pest and disease control as important for crop production as they have large landholdings for agricultural uses and tree cover. This study suggests local wealth conditions of the rural households characterise the demand of the use and perceived importance of forest ecosystem services. Differences in levels of wealth and ecosystem service provision imply careful consideration of social and economic factors in decision-making and making appropriate interventions for forest and tree management. The ecosystem services approach appears to be useful in capturing the broader diversity of benefits of forests and trees (i.e. material and non-material) as well as in supporting their integrated management at the landscape scale.
TL;DR: In this paper, a snapshot valuation of the urban ecosystem services provided by green infrastructure in New York City is presented, and the results indicate latent public support for GI initiatives that include new and enhanced Parks & Natural Areas and Community Gardens.
Abstract: US cities are investing heavily in green infrastructure (GI) to manage stormwater and improve local water quality. However, many other ecosystem services (ES) are attributed to these same GI systems. Some of these services, such as the amount of rainfall that can be attenuated in a green roof, are well documented; others, such as the role of coastal wetlands in protecting properties from storm surge, are difficult to quantify or so dependent on local conditions that results are not generalizable. This paper presents a snapshot valuation of the urban ES provided by GI in New York City. Structured surveys were administered to four stakeholder groups, representing a gradient of familiarity with GI. Survey results were compared against the scientific literature to explore how stakeholder perceptions compared to the biophysical capacity of GI to provide ES. Results indicate that, while stormwater management is the primary driver of GI investment in NYC, residents view other ES more favorably. Municipal programs that create multifunctional GI systems may be more widely supported than those focused exclusively on stormwater management. The results also suggest latent public support for GI initiatives that include new and enhanced Parks & Natural Areas and Community Gardens.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a systematic review of the existing literature on Arctic Environmental Systems (ES), focusing on five key themes: general discussion of Arctic ES, social-ecological systems, ES valuation, ES synergies and/or trade-offs, and integrating the ES perspective into management.
Abstract: The study presents the first systematic review of the existing literature on Arctic ES. Applying the Search, Appraisal, Synthesis and Analysis (SALSA) and snowballing methods and three selection criteria, 33 publications were sourced, including peer-reviewed articles, policy papers and scientific reports, and their content synthesised using the thematic analysis method. Five key themes were identified: (1) general discussion of Arctic ES, (2) Arctic social-ecological systems, (3) ES valuation, (4) ES synergies and/or trade-offs, and (5) integrating the ES perspective into management. The meta-synthesis of the literature reveals that the ES concept is increasingly being applied in the Arctic context in all five themes, but there remain large knowledge gaps concerning mapping, assessment, economic valuation, analysis of synergies, trade-offs, and underlying mechanisms, and the social effects of ES changes. Even though ES are discussed in most publications as being relevant for policy, there are few practical examples of its direct application to management. The study concludes that more primary studies of Arctic ES are needed on all of the main themes as well as governance initiatives to move Arctic ES research from theory to practice.
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of different land use policies on ecosystem services provided by the Danube Delta, one of Europe's largest and most outstanding wetlands, are examined. And the authors assess trends between 1960 and 2010, contrasting periods of economic development (1960-1989) and ecological restoration (1990-2010).
Abstract: Deltaic flood plains provide critically important ecosystem services, including food production, fresh water, flood control, nutrient cycling, spiritual values and opportunities for recreation. Despite growing recognition of their societal and ecological importance, deltaic flood plains are declining worldwide at alarming rates. Loss of wetland ecosystem services bears socio-environmental costs overlooked in land-use planning. Conversely, wetland restoration can deliver important long-term benefits. This paper examines effects of different land use policies on ecosystem services provided by the Danube Delta, one of Europe’s largest and most outstanding wetlands. First, we identify, characterize and measure the most important ecosystem services provided by the Danube Delta. Second, we assess trends between 1960 and 2010, contrasting periods of economic development (1960–1989) and ecological restoration (1990–2010). Our results indicate that i) the Danube Delta provides important services with benefits accrue from local communities to humanity at large, ii) that two thirds of the Delta’s ecosystem services have declined over the studied period and iii) that ongoing restoration efforts have so far been unable to reverse trends in ecosystem service decline. Benefits from ecological restoration policies are already becoming apparent, but at a scale not yet comparable to the costs from ecosystem decline incurred over previous decades.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a quantitative and qualitative assessment of priority ecosystem services to understand how the supply of ecosystem services and their societal benefits have changed over the past 40 years.
Abstract: Community-managed forested landscapes are complex social-ecological systems that supply a variety of ecosystem services (ES) to society. The flow of these services depends on land use and land cover (LULC) changes, ecological factors such as types, pattern and composition of vegetation, as well as anthropogenic factors. ES assessment helps to deal with the complexity of the interrelationships among LULC, ES supply and societal benefits. Using the case of the Phewa watershed, Nepal, this paper presents a quantitative and qualitative assessment of priority ES to understand how the supply of ES and their societal benefits have changed over the past 40 years. LULC changes were analysed using satellite images, ecosystem services were assessed using biophysical data and expressed spatially using ArcGIS. Results reveal a substantial reversal of land degradation and indicate forest recovery over the last 40 years. Dense forests increased by 1471 ha (88%) while sparse forests, grasslands and agricultural lands declined by 26%, 77% and 15%, respectively. These significant changes in LULC had a positive impact on ES due to the conversion of agricultural/grasslands and degraded forests to dense forests. ES varied significantly across the watershed. Dense forests provided relatively higher sediment retention (soil erosion rate decreased from >30 ton ha1 yr1 to
TL;DR: A systematic review of the academic literature found a flexible but inconsistent application of ES concepts and methods to support multiple decision-contexts including policy, development, and conservation.
Abstract: Recent years have witnessed growing interest in applying ecosystem service (ES) frameworks to promote holistic decision-making and develop sustainable aquaculture. The goal of this review was to analyze the status quo of research on aquaculture ES and identify knowledge gaps and research priorities to better align ES with holistic decision-making. This study conducted a systematic review of the academic literature and analyzed the coverage of aquaculture ES across 94 publications. The research field has evolved substantially in the last ten years, reaching a multidisciplinary audience around the world. While research coverage included all major production environments (coastal marine, brackishwater, and freshwater) and cultured species groups (finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, and seaweeds), emphasis is currently limited towards certain types of aquaculture and study areas (namely, brackishwater shrimp farming). This review found a flexible but inconsistent application of ES concepts and methods to support multiple decision-contexts including policy, development, and conservation. This paper proposes a research agenda to address research gaps, adopt more holistic ES-driven research, and apply consistent and comparable ES measures through an aquaculture lens. Ultimately, this should be supported by a shift in thinking that frames aquaculture as ‘aqua-ecosystems’, recognizing aquaculture as fundamentally embedded within linked social and ecological systems.
TL;DR: This paper explored and applied the concepts of fire regulation capacity and fire protection ecosystem service (FPES) in the assessment of the effects of landscape change in a mountain fire-prone landscape in Portugal.
Abstract: This study explored and applied the concepts of Fire Regulation Capacity (FRC) and Fire Protection Ecosystem Service (FPES) in the assessment of the effects of landscape change in a mountain fire-prone landscape in Portugal. We adopted a modeling and simulation approach using BFOLDS-FRM with landscape data for years 1990 and 2006 (observed) and with three landscape scenarios for 2020. Proxy indicators for FRC (burned area and fire intensity) and for economic damage by fire (loss of provisioning ES) were used to establish trends in the supply and value of FPES. We found decreased FRC to restrain simulated fires burning over 100 ha from 1990 on and to regulate Very High and Extreme fire intensity levels, particularly under our 2020 scenario of Forest expansion. FPES is also expected to decrease, as indicated by higher fire-related damages, particularly if fuel hazard increases in the landscape. However, there were differences among scenarios, suggesting potential trade-offs between FPES and the supply of provisioning ES. Planning and management in this and similar areas experiencing farmland abandonment must consider fire trends and patterns, since landscape change is a major driver affecting FRC and FPES, which may further be decreased by future climatic conditions.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report results from a large mixed methods survey conducted among academics, policymakers and practitioners working in the field of ecosystem services across Europe, and use these results to explore the trade-off that exists between the role of ecosystem service as a boundary object and the needs of policy and decision makers of more standardisation.
Abstract: Being open to multiple interpretations allows the ecosystem services concept to operate as a boundary object, facilitating communication and cooperation between different user groups. Yet there is a risk the resultant pluralism limits the capacity of ecosystem services assessments to directly inform decision and policy making, and that the concept could be used to support environmentally or socially harmful activities. Here, we report results from a large mixed methods survey conducted among academics, policymakers and practitioners working in the field of ecosystem services across Europe. We use these results to explore the trade-off that exists between the role of ecosystem services as a boundary object and the needs of policy and decision makers of more standardisation. We conclude this can be done by working towards the standardisation of ecosystem service assessments within specific jurisdictions, whilst maintaining forums for debate, collaboration, and critical reflection within the broader ecosystem services community. We also aim to deduce guiding principles to ensure the ecosystem services concept is not used to support detrimental activities. The consideration of shared and cultural values, the expansion of inter- and transdisciplinary work and the integration of the concept of sustainability are identified as valuable guiding principles to this end.
TL;DR: In this paper, three stakeholder specific forest management scenarios (multifunctional, wood production, set-aside) for each of two different case study areas in Germany (a more and a less productive one) were simulated.
Abstract: Quantifying ecosystem services as dependent on forest management and analyzing tradeoffs between them can help to make decisions on management more effective, efficient, sustainable, and stable. We use a forest management model (SILVA) to predict changes in ecosystem service provisions. Three stakeholder specific forest management scenarios (multifunctional, wood production, set-aside) for each of two different case study areas in Germany (a more and a less productive one) were simulated. We want to therewith answer how ecosystem service and biodiversity indicators (groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, wood production, structural diversity of forest stands) depend on forest management and site. Forest management had significant influence on ecosystem service provisions in both case study areas. However, the results strongly depend on the site and on the initial situation in each location. In both case study areas, the production oriented forest management pays for productivity with structural diversity. In contrast, multifunctional oriented forest management pays for groundwater recharge with productivity losses. In the set-aside scenario, current carbon sequestration is high due to increasing forest carbon stocks, however sustainable carbon sequestration is low due to the lack of emission savings.
TL;DR: Based on three sets of remote sensing data (1990, 2000 and 2010), this paper made an exploration on spatio-temporal changes of wetland area, and also made an assessment on wetland ecosystem values of eight types of service in Hangzhou Bay based on related theories of ecological economics.
Abstract: Wetlands are important natural resources, and studying wetland ecosystem values is helpful to explore the sustainable development of resources and economy. Hangzhou Bay is located in economically developed coastal area of China, where wetland values have been changed rapidly in the past few decades. Based on three sets of remote sensing data (1990, 2000 and 2010), this study has made an exploration on spatio-temporal changes of wetland area, and also made an assessment on wetland ecosystem values of eight types of service in Hangzhou Bay based on related theories of ecological economics. Results showed that the ecosystem service value of Hangzhou Bay Wetland in 1990, 2000 and 2010 were 48.7 × 108 yuan, 41.6 × 108 yuan and 45.3 × 108 yuan, respectively. If divided by wetland types, rivers and lakes were two types of wetlands that have the greatest proportion of service value, followed by paddy field and shallow waters. In the perspective of service types, water conservation and material production accounted for over 70% of the total service value. In addition, the recreation value has been increased significantly in recent years. This study, therefore, recommends developing coastal wetland tourism and coastal aquaculture based on controlling pollution emissions to protect natural wetlands.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a literature review on sustainable energy transition with a special focus on ecosystem services-based approaches and methods and two key issues emerge from this review: only one sixth of the published applications on the relation between renewable energy and landscape make use of the ecosystem service framework.
Abstract: The transition to a low carbon future is starting to affect landscapes around the world. In order for this landscape transformation to be sustainable, renewable energy technologies should not cause critical trade-offs between the provision of energy and that of other ecosystem services such as food production. This literature review advances the body of knowledge on sustainable energy transition with special focus on ecosystem services-based approaches and methods. Two key issues emerge from this review: only one sixth of the published applications on the relation between renewable energy and landscape make use of the ecosystem service framework. Secondly, the applications that do address ecosystem services for landscape planning and design lack efficient methods and spatial reference systems that accommodate both cultural and regulating ecosystem services. Future research efforts should be directed to further advancing the spatial reference systems, the use of participatory mapping and landscape visualizations tools for cultural ecosystem services and the elaboration of landscape design principles.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a deliberative choice experiment to evaluate non-market mangrove ecosystem services (ES) at Mida Creek, Kenya and found that respondents were willing to volunteer: 5.82 and 21.16% for preserving the nursery and breeding ground functions to gain an additional metric ton of fish.
Abstract: Mangrove degradation threatens the capacity of these important ecosystems to provide goods and services that contribute to human wellbeing. This study uses a deliberative choice experiment to value non-market mangrove ecosystem services (ES) at Mida Creek, Kenya. The attributes assessed include “shoreline erosion protection”, “biodiversity richness and abundance”, “nursery and breeding ground for fish”, and “education and research”. Unpaid labour (volunteer time) for mangroves conservation was used as the payment mechanism to estimate willingness to pay (WTP). Results suggest that respondents were willing to volunteer: 5.82 h/month for preserving the mangrove nursery and breeding ground functions to gain an additional metric ton of fish; 21.16 h/month for increasing biodiversity richness and abundance; 10.81 h/month for reducing shoreline erosion by 1 m over 25 years; and 0.14 h/month for gaining 100 student/researcher visits/month. The estimation of WTP for mangrove ES provides valuable insights into the awareness of local communities about the contribution of mangrove forests to ES delivery. This knowledge could assist decision-making for the management and conservation of mangroves in Mida Creek and its environs.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed an integrated modeling approach to assess the conjoined impacts of land-use and climate changes on the potential ecosystem services (i.e., water yield and nutrients retention) until 2050.
Abstract: Climate and land-use changes are posing increasing threats to freshwater-related ecosystem services, acting both on the supply and the demand side. A better understanding of the dynamics of these potential services, driven by the interactions between the factors mentioned above, could bring benefits to water resources management, the environment, and human well-being. In this work, we developed an integrated modeling approach to assess the conjoined impacts of land-use and climate changes on the potential ecosystem services (i.e. water yield and nutrients retention) until 2050. This approach was applied to the Taro River basin in Italy. Firstly, the results showed a 20% reduction in water yield was driven mainly by the increases in evapotranspiration demand and changes in rainfall patterns. Furthermore, a mean decrease of approximately 3% of the total nitrogen retention and a mean increase of 3% for the total phosphorus retention could be mainly attributed to land-use changes. Secondly, the rate of change would be different over time with the most pronounced differences between 2020 and 2030 and slower variations afterward. Finally, the obtained results could be a valuable support to identify and prioritize the best management practices for sustainable water use, balancing the tradeoffs among services.
TL;DR: An ecological extension of the current SEEA EEA is proposed, with broad typologies setting how ecosystem deliver services are identified, based on measurement of ES overuse.
Abstract: Ecosystem services (ES) accounts are essential to quantify and monitor the contribution of ecosystems to human well-being. The System of Environmental and Economic Accounting - Experimental Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EEA) is the first attempt to provide a set of standards to compile ecosystem accounts. We argue for the inclusion of an ecological perspective in the SEEA EEA that considers ecosystems to be more than input providers to the economy. Ecosystems can act as accounting units capable of producing, consuming and recording changes in regeneration and absorption rates. To account for that we propose (i) to identify ES typologies according to the way in which energy, biomass and information is released to generate services; (ii) to use these typologies to define the concepts of ES potential, ES potential flows, ES demand and ES actual flows; and (iii) to build the ES capacity accounts in monetary terms based on these concepts. These arguments are illustrated with case studies for water purification and crop pollination accounts in European countries. Extending the production boundary would allow the measurement of the sustainable use of ES and the establishment of causality between the use of ES and the value accrued by the economic actors and households.
TL;DR: The value of each ecosystem type represents the yearly flow of the ecosystem asset and the assessment of the demand not covered by ecosystems is useful for decision making.
Abstract: Ecosystem services accounts are a useful tool that provides relevant information on the role of ecosystems in delivering services, and the society benefiting from them. This paper presents the accounting workflow for ecosystem services at the European Union level adopted by the Knowledge Innovation Project on an Integrated system for Natural Capital and ecosystem services Accounting (KIP INCA) - a European Commission initiative. The workflow includes: 1) biophysical assessment of ecosystem services; 2) monetary valuation; and 3) compilation of accounting tables. Supply and use tables are presented for six ecosystem services assessed so far. The supply table shows woodland and forest, followed by wetlands, as the ecosystem types with the highest monetary value per unit area. Analyses of changes between 2000 and 2012 show an overall increase of the monetary value of ecosystem services, mainly due to an increase in demand for them. We also discuss advantages and disadvantages of adopting a fast-track approach, based on official statistics, in comparison to an accounting strategy based on spatial models. We propose a novel workflow for ecosystem services accounts, focused on assessment of the actual flow of ecosystem services, making a significant contribution to further development of the technical recommendations for ecosystem services accounts.
TL;DR: In this paper, the economic value of the damage of human activities and climate change can inflict on UK marine habitats, including shelf sea sediments, is explored through a scenario analysis, and the authors estimate damage costs up to US$12.5 billion from carbon release linked to disturbance of coastal and shelf sea sediment carbon stores.
Abstract: Evidence shows that habitats with potential to mitigate against greenhouse gases emissions, by taking up and storing CO2, are being lost due to the effects of on-going human activities and climate change. The carbon storage by terrestrial habitats (e.g. tropical forests) and the role of coastal habitats (‘Blue Carbon’) as carbon storage sinks is well recognised. Offshore shelf sediments are also a manageable carbon store, covering ∼9% of global marine area, but not currently protected by international agreements to enable their conservation. Through a scenario analysis, we explore the economic value of the damage of human activities and climate change can inflict on UK marine habitats, including shelf sea sediments. In a scenario of increased human and climate pressures over a 25-year period, we estimate damage costs up to US$12.5 billion from carbon release linked to disturbance of coastal and shelf sea sediment carbon stores. It may be possible to manage socio-economic pressure to maintain sedimentary carbon storage, but the trade-offs with other global social welfare benefits such as food security will have to be taken into account. To develop effective incentive mechanisms to preserve these valuable coastal and marine ecosystems within a sustainability governance framework, robust evidence is required.