Showing papers in "Ecosystem services in 2020"

Valuing natural capital and ecosystem services toward the goals of efficiency, fairness, and sustainability

Abstract: Ecosystem services (ES) are the ecological characteristics, functions, or processes that directly or indirectly contribute to sustainable human wellbeing. The ecosystems that provide the services are ‘natural capital’ (NC) using the general definition of capital as a stock that yields a flow of services over time. But these concepts must be embedded in a whole systems view of the interdependencies between humans and the rest of nature, as espoused by ecological economics from its inception. Valuing NC and ES is therefore about assessing their contributions (in complex interaction with built, human, and social capital) toward the goal of sustainable wellbeing of the whole system of humans and the rest of nature. This recognizes that sustainable human wellbeing cannot be achieved without the wellbeing of the rest of nature. To achieve this, an integrated approach to valuation toward the three sub-goals of efficient allocation (E-value), fair distribution (F-value) and sustainable scale (S-value) is necessary. This article reviews these ideas, and discusses an agenda to improve understanding and valuation of NC and ES toward the goals of efficiency, fairness, and sustainability in a dynamic, whole systems context.

The future(s) of digital agriculture and sustainable food systems: An analysis of high-level policy documents

Abstract: Ecosystem services delivery is influenced by food systems and vice versa. As the application of digital technologies in agriculture continues to expand, digital technologies might affect the delivery of ecosystem services in view of the sorts of food systems in which they are embedded. The direction food systems develop towards the future, and the role digital technologies play in this development, is influenced by imaginings, hopes and visions about what these technologies mean for future food systems. In this article, we investigate what roles are being imagined for these technologies by international actors with the ability to influence the future of food systems. We analyze outward-facing policy documents as well as conference proceedings on digital agriculture produced by the World Bank, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Using qualitative textual analysis, we show that these organisations envision future food systems that prioritize maximizing food output through technology. We illustrate how this vision reflects a long-standing narrative about the role of technology in food systems innovation, which makes the controversial assumption that increases in food production lead to improvements in food security. Based on this finding, we suggest that evaluations of how digital agricultural technologies might affect the delivery of ecosystem services must begin by considering what visions of future food systems are take into account in science, technology development and policy making. Supporting similar research on high-level narratives surrounding agroecology and climate smart agriculture, we find that the dominant narrative in our dataset supports the status quo global, industrial agriculture and food system. This system continues to be criticized by many scholars for its environmental impacts. Based on our findings, we suggest that ecosystems service researchers could contribute substantially to the evaluation of environmental impacts of digital agriculture by analyzing the impact digital agriculture may have on the trade-offs between provisioning, regulatory, and cultural ecosystem services for several different food system futures. Such analyses can feed into processes of responsible innovation.

Ecosystem services of Earth’s largest freshwater lakes

Abstract: Fresh water is distributed unevenly across the globe. Earth’s 21 largest lakes hold ~2/3 of all global, liquid, surface, fresh water and occupy diverse ecological and social settings. We identified seven ecosystem services for which there were quantitative data across most or all of these large lakes. Approximately 1.35 million tonnes of fish are harvested per year from these lakes by commercial or artisanal means, with approximately 95% of this harvest coming from the African large lakes. The 21 lakes support the generation of at least 62.2 GW of power and the transportation of 195 million tonnes/year of cargo, with the Laurentian Great Lakes especially important in those. More than five billion m3 of potable drinking water is treated annually from large lakes, and an additional 812 million m3 water per year is extracted for irrigation purposes. The pattern of services provided to humans by large lakes differs based on social and environmental settings. While we assembled systematic data on some important ecosystem services from large lakes, many other important, especially non-commercial services could not similarly be examined due to lack of data. More work is needed to show the value of the full set of ecosystem services provided by large lakes.

Ecosystem service value of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau significantly increased during 25 years

Abstract: As a highly valuable region that provides multiple important ecosystem services, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is vulnerable to climate change and human activities, which have induced significant land cover changes from 1990 to 2015. However, the impact of these changes on the ecosystem service values in the 25 years remains unknown. In this study, we used the combined approach of land cover proxy and unit value transfer method to assess changes in ecosystem service values. The results showed that total ecosystem service values including provisioning, regulating, habitat and cultural services has increased from ca. 1.77 trillion in 1990 to ca. 1.81 trillion US dollars in 2015, mainly due to the considerable expansion of rivers and lakes and a decrease of bare lands and glacier and snow. Although the elasticity analysis found that the response of ESV changes is not that elastic to LULC changes in three periods, 1990–2000, 2000–2010 and 2010–2015, it can still be used as a detector to locate unusual changes in different regions and to indicate urgent need for specific ecosystem management.

What is Climate-Smart Forestry? A definition from a multinational collaborative process focused on mountain regions of Europe

Abstract: Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) is an emerging branch of sustainable forest management that aims to manage forests in response to climate change. Specific CSF strategies are viewed as a way forward for developing suitable management responses and enhancing the provision of ecosystem services. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive and cohesive assessment to implement CSF. This paper describes the step-by-step process that developed a comprehensive and shared definition of CSF, and the process for selecting indicators that assess the “climate-smartness” of forest management. Adaptation, mitigation and social dimensions are the core focus of the CSF definition, which recognises the need to integrate and avoid development of these aspects in isolation. An iterative participatory process was used with a range of experts in forest-related fields from the CLIMO project, this was subsequently supported by a network analysis to identify sustainable forest management indicators important to CSF. The definition developed here, is an important first step in to promote CSF that will aid practice in the forestry sector. It can be used as a template across Europe, tailored to local contexts. Further work communicating CSF to practitioners and policy-makers will create a CSF practice and culture that will help to safeguard future forest economies and communities.

Urbanization impact on the supply-demand budget of ecosystem services: Decoupling analysis

Abstract: Correlation of ecosystem services (ES) considering both the supply and demand sides remains unclear, and research on urbanization impact on the ES supply-demand budget is lacking Taking the rapidly urbanizing Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban agglomeration of China as an example, eight ES supply, demand and the supply-demand budget of 374 watersheds were quantified using an expert-based matrix The trade-offs and synergies of ES were then explored from both the supply and demand sides, with identifying the ecosystem service bundles (ESBs) of supply, demand, and the supply-demand budget separately Through decoupling analysis, the urbanization impact on the ES supply-demand budget was explored The results showed that ESs were well supplied in high-altitude areas in the PRD urban agglomeration, and that watersheds with insufficient ES supply were concentrated along the Pearl River where population density was high It was also observed that there were significant synergistic relationships in the ES supply-demand budget And the average decoupling index of the supply-demand budget for total ES and the three urbanization indicators increased from GDP to DN of nighttime light, and to Population density It is an important way to identify the trade-offs and synergies between ES supply-demand budgets, and to explore the decoupling between the ES supply-demand budget and urbanization, in order to provide comprehensive decision-making support for ES management in rapidly urbanized areas

Exploring the heterogeneity and nonlinearity of trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services bundles in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration

Abstract: Understanding the relationships among multiple ecosystem services (ESs) is crucial for the sustainability of natural capital and ESs. The objective of this paper was to explore the antagonistic and synergistic relationships among ESs in their respective ESs bundles (ESBs) from the perspectives of heterogeneity and nonlinearity. Six ESs were quantified using different models, and the relationships among ESs were analysed by combining spatial mapping and statistical methods in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration. Our results showed that the spatially concordant supply of regulating services and cultural services decreased from northwest to southeast, whereas the delivery of provisioning services exhibited a distinct spatial pattern and decreased from southeast to northwest in the region. Different combinations of ecosystems provided seven types of ESBs with different compositions and quantities of ESs. The trade-offs and synergies among the ESs in the different ESBs had similarities and differences in both the types of ESs and their intensities. The provisioning service was synergistic with the other ESs in some ESBs, and the relationships among the regulating services and among the regulating services and the cultural service could be antagonistic in other ESBs. Within each ESB, the trade-offs and synergies among the bundled ESs showed spatially heterogeneous changes across the simplified landscapes, and the provision of the involved ESs displayed different nonlinear responses along the productivity gradients. There were different all-win and zero-sum exceptions for the trade-offs involving different ESs in each ESB, with the former indicating the possibilities of mitigating trade-offs and the latter demonstrating the detrimental effects of severe trade-offs. According to our findings, we suggested that the features of ES delivery and their relationships should be considered to ensure the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of the spatially targeted management of natural capital and ESs.

Enhancing protected areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Abstract: Incorporating ecosystem services (ES) conservation into the goals of protected areas (PA) is being acknowledged. Identifying conservation gaps in existing PAs and delineating priority regions for conserving biodiversity and ES in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) are critical for sustainable development. In this study, we identified conservation gaps for biodiversity and ES in existing nature reserves (NRs), the primary category of PA in the QTP. Using the representativeness–vulnerability framework, we then identified the priority regions for conservation of biodiversity and ES. The results show that the QTP’s existing NRs have notable conservation gaps for biodiversity, water and soil retention, sandstorm prevention, and carbon sequestration services. For biodiversity, water and soil retention, and carbon sequestration, the priority regions are mainly located in southeastern Tibet, while those for sandstorm prevention are mainly distributed in the regions surrounding Qinghai Lake and south of the Changtang Plateau. The priority regions for both biodiversity and ES are mainly distributed in the southeastern QTP. Only ~15% of the priority regions are covered by existing NRs. A new type of PA for conserving ES is recommended. Human activities would be permitted in this new PA type so long as they do not compromise the provision of critical ES.

Impacts of rural tourism-driven land use change on ecosystems services provision in Erhai Lake Basin, China.

Abstract: Tourism is an expanding activity worldwide, with vital implications for local economies but also for ecosystem management. Rural tourism in particular drives land use change, which results in ecosystem services provision being altered. We performed a comprehensive temporal and spatial assessment of the impact of tourism-driven land use change on ecosystem services and sought to identify tradeoffs between tourism income and provision of multiple ecosystem services in Erhai Lake Basin (ELB), China. The results show that constructed area in ELB, especially in the lakeside zone, increased strongly from 2000 to 2015 due to a tourism boom (in which tourism revenues increased 12-fold), at the expense of farmland, grassland, and forest. With these land changes, ecosystem services also changed greatly, to the detriment of ELB as a whole and especially the lakeside zone. By 2015, soil retention had decreased and nitrogen and soil export had increased, compared with the levels in 2000, while there was only a slight fluctuation in carbon storage and water yield. The nitrogen and soil exports are impairing water quality in Erhai Lake and causing severe environmental problems. This study provides empirical evidence of the important impact of tourism-driven land use change on provision of multiple ecosystem services. For environmentally friendly tourism in ELB and beyond, a form of sustainable tourism should be established. Tourism development and ecosystem services provision should be fully weighed up and considered in future tourism planning and land use management.

Distinguishing the impacts of land use and climate change on ecosystem services in a karst landscape in China

Abstract: Land use and climate change are the most important factors driving the change of ecosystem services (ESs). It is critical to understand the mechanisms behind such changes for improving ESs. However, existing studies mainly focuse on ES changes due to combined effects of land use and climate change, while the interactions between these factors and ESs remain unclear. This study took Guizhou Province, China as the case study area and examined the impact of land use and climate change on three ESs, i.e. net primary productivity (NPP), soil retention, and water yield. The impacts of land use and climate change on ESs were compared within and between different zones (including terrain zones, geomorphic zones, and urban development zones). The results showed that all the three ESs were characterized with high values in the south and low values in the north, and an overall increasing trend during 2000–2015. Changes in NPP and water yield were dominated by land use change, accounting for 85.2% and 74.9% of the total area, respectively, whereas for soil retention it was climate change, accounting for 71.0% of area proportion. As to zoning contrast, the impact of climate change on NPP and water yield differed the most across geomorphic zones, with terrain zones for soil retention. The impact of land use change on all the three ESs behaved the most difference across urban development zones, indicating high sensitivity of ESs to human activity.

A systematic review of cultural ecosystem services and human wellbeing

Abstract: Environmental degradation is increasing globally through direct anthropogenic interventions, such as urbanisation and unsustainable land use, and human-induced drivers, such as climate change. A result is the loss of ecosystem services. The way humans benefit from diverse ecosystem services for their physical and mental wellbeing differs from place to place and between communities and social groups. While the existing research on ecosystem services is rich on the relevance of provisioning ecosystem services for human wellbeing, the role of cultural ecosystem services is not sufficiently understood. Moreover, a variety of methods and a wide range of approaches are adopted to study how landscapes provide ecosystem services and how important they are for different people. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews where and how cultural ecosystem services are studied explicitly with respect to aspects of human physical and mental wellbeing and various social groups. Our review provides an overview of research biases and gaps that need to be addressed to advance our understanding of this link, which is critical to implementing meaningful environmental conservation and protection for local communities and vulnerable populations.

Future trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services in Mediterranean forests under global change scenarios

Abstract: Mediterranean forests play a key role in providing services and goods to society, and are currently threatened by global change. We assessed the future provision of ecosystem services by Mediterranean pine forests under a set of management and climate change scenarios, built by combining different regional policies and climate change assumptions. We used the process-based model SORTIE-ND to simulate forest dynamics under each scenario. We coupled the outputs of SORTIE-ND with empirical and process-based models to estimate changes in harvested timber, carbon storage, mushroom yield, water provision, soil erosion mitigation and habitat for biodiversity by 2100, and assessed the trade-offs and synergies between services. Our results suggest that future provision of ecosystem services by Mediterranean forests will be more strongly determined by management policies than by climate. However, no management policy maximized the provision of all services. The continuation of the business-as-usual management would benefit some services to the detriment of water provision, but leads to higher vulnerability to extreme drought-events or wildfires. Managing for reducing forest vulnerability will balance the provision of services while reducing the risk of damage to forest functioning. We also found multiple spatial synergies between ecosystem services provision, likely driven by differences in site productivity.

Global assessment of mountain ecosystem services using earth observation data

Abstract: Ecosystem services assessments have the potential to support negotiating the complex trade-offs between conservation goals and other economic, political and social agendas across administrative borders, spatial and temporal scales. While earlier studies showed the global importance of tropical areas in supplying ecosystem services, the specific contribution of mountain areas has not been investigated in details. The degradation of mountain ecosystems driven by climate, demographic and economic changes is however increasingly threatening essential ecosystem services supply to people living in- and outside mountains. In this study, we present an assessment of eight ecosystem services in mountains across the world using high resolution earth observation datasets for 2000 and 2010. We link the ecosystem services supply data with an expert survey dataset to assess ecosystem services demand. We show that most mountain ranges show large patches of decreasing ecosystem services in areas characterized by high population pressure. By comparing ecosystem services supply of and demand for ecosystem services, we highlight the growing scarcity of highly demanded ecosystem services, in particular water, food and forage in mountain areas of Global South. Population growth in mountain regions and surrounding lowlands accentuate this trend and call for urgent solutions to sustainably manage ecosystems in mountain areas.

Linking traits of invasive plants with ecosystem services and disservices

Abstract: Invasive alien species (IAS) have negative as well as positive effects on human well-being. They can alter ecosystem properties, functions and associated ecosystem services (ES). However, many IAS have negative effects (resulting from reducing ES or by increasing or creating ecosystem disservices (EDS), the latter termed genuine negative effects) on, e.g. biodiversity, crop and timber production and/or human health. We present a novel framework, linking traits of IAS via ES and EDS to affected environmental and socioeconomic sectors. By applying the framework, we were able to identify whether a plant trait affects different sectors (positively and/or negatively) and whether the same trait impacts one but benefits another sector. Positive effects correspond to an increase in ES/a reduction in EDS whereas impact represents a reduction in ES/an increase in EDS. The framework is applicable across traits and species, including the direction (positive/negative) and strength of effects. Furthermore, we classified six socioeconomic and environmental sectors frequently affected (positively or negatively) by invasive plants, along with the list of ES and EDS relevant in these sectors. The framework can be used as a tool for assessing multiple ES and EDS and for prioritizing the management of affected sectors.

Emergy-based ecosystem services valuation and classification management applied to China’s grasslands

Abstract: Though grasslands cover one fifth area of global land and provide vital services for humans, half of them are degraded due to human interference and climate change. In this paper we perform evaluations of the delivery of ecosystem services (ES) of grasslands using a systems approach and the technique of emergy accounting. Firstly, we address the issue of anthropocentricity of ES through discussion and analysis using the concept of emergy as contrasted to economic value, i.e. willingness-to-pay. Secondly, we explore from a systems classification of provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services. Thirdly, we provide quantitative analysis of the value added (surplus value) to economies by ecosystems. An emergy-based index of classification management of grassland (ICG), is also implemented, together with a non-monetary benefit-cost analysis of grassland ES. It is established that emergy provides an approach to evaluating the contributions ecosystems make to the economy using the idea of net benefit ratio, computed as the emergy cost of providing a service through technology (aka replacement cost) divided by emergy required to sustain ecosystem functions. This study can provide a systematic biophysical accounting method for grassland ESV to implement future sustainable management practices.

Quantifying water provision service supply, demand and spatial flow for land use optimization: A case study in the YanHe watershed

Abstract: The explicit quantification and spatial mapping of the ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand associated with land use changes can provide relevant insights for enhancing land management. However, few advancements and efforts have been applied to science policy processes and land management optimization because most studies to date neglected the supply-demand coupling mechanism. This paper considers the YanHe watershed to propose a comprehensive framework quantifying the supply, demand and spatial flow of the water provision service associated with land use changes. The results showed that land use changes had important effects on both the supply side and the demand side of the water provision service. The water provision service has significant spatial mismatches between water supply and water demand. A high water supply occurred in the upper and lower reaches, while a high water demand was distributed in the urban districts. We mapped and determined the spatial flow process of the water provision service now and in the future. The results highlight the need to fully understand the importance of service flow for improving the water security patterns of benefiting areas. This study provides a scientific basis for watershed policymakers to optimize land management and reduce water deficits and mismatches.

Defining and spatially modelling cultural ecosystem services using crowdsourced data

Abstract: Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are some of the most valuable contributions of ecosystems to human well-being. Nevertheless, these services are often underrepresented in ecosystem service assessments. Defining CES for the purposes of spatial quantification has been challenging because it has been difficult to spatially model CES. However, rapid increases in mobile network connectivity and the use of social media have generated huge amounts of crowdsourced data. This offers an opportunity to define and spatially quantify CES. We inventoried established CES conceptualisations and sources of crowdsourced data to propose a CES definition and typology for spatial quantification. Furthermore, we present the results of three spatial models employing crowdsourced data to measure CES on Texel, a coastal island in the Netherlands. Defining CES as information-flows best enables service quantification. A general typology of eight services is proposed. The spatial models produced distributions consistent with known areas of cultural importance on Texel. However, user representativeness and measurement uncertainties affect our results. Ethical considerations must also be taken into account. Still, crowdsourced data is a valuable source of information to define and model CES due to the level of detail available. This can encourage the representation of CES in ecosystem service assessments.

Cultural ecosystem services in mountain regions: Conceptualising conflicts among users and limitations of use

Abstract: Mountain landscapes provide a variety of cultural ecosystem services (CES), but recent developments such as land-use and climate changes, population growth or urbanization seem to lead more frequently to conflicts among users or restrict the use of natural resources. An enhanced understanding of such conflicts and limitations may improve decision-making and management of mountain landscapes and maintain high levels of CES supply. However, conceptual and empirical research on identifying and evaluating conflicts and limitations of use in qualitative, quantitative and spatial terms as well as interdependencies in socio-ecological systems (SES) is still rare, and suitable methods are underdeveloped. Therefore, this paper elaborates the outcomes of an expert workshop and presents eleven case studies related to different CES and various contexts to conceptualise conflicts and limitations of CES use in mountain regions, complemented by assessment approaches to facilitate their identification and management. Using a multidimensional framework, we find that conflicts were mostly related to socio-economic changes and an increasing recreational use, whereas limitations of use greatly depended on accessibility and legal issues. Our findings contribute to the advancement of research on CES and are particularly useful for landscape management and decision-making to develop sustainable solutions and maintain CES in mountain landscapes.

The role of reducing food waste for resilient food systems.

Abstract: Food waste undermines long-term resilience of the global food system by aggravating ecosystem damage. The global community must therefore work to reduce the amount of food that gets wasted. However, we should be mindful of some potential conflicts between food waste reduction and food system resilience. Over-production and over-supply are a contributing cause of waste, yet they also provide resilience in the form of redundancy. In this paper, we examine individual interventions designed to minimise food waste by scoring their impact on different aspects of resilience. We find that there are strong synergistic elements and interventions that support short- and long-term resilience, such as improved storage, which reduces the need to provide a constant flow of 'surplus food' and replaces it with a stock of 'spare' food. Some interventions carry a risk of trade-offs due to possible losses of redundancy, and investment lock-in that may reduce the ability of farmers to adapt by changing what and where they farm. Trade-offs do not mean that those interventions should not be pursuit, but they should be recognised so that can be adequately addressed with complimentary actions. This review underlines the necessity of food-systems thinking and joined-up policy.

Biophysical and economic assessment of four ecosystem services for natural capital accounting in Italy

Abstract: We present methods and results of country-based natural capital assessments for four ecosystem services (ES) in Italy. The spatial mapping and the assessment have been carried out in both physical and monetary terms for (i) crop pollination, (ii) outdoor recreation, (iii) flood regulation (iv) and water provision, using the ARIES (Artificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services) technology, which provides and integrates the necessary data and models. Extent, supply and use accounting tables have been developed for the same ecosystem services in line with the United Nations System of Environmental Economic Accounting (UN-SEEA) guidelines and Experimental Ecosystem Accounting (EEA) initiative. This work represents a first official and nationwide assessment of ecosystem services for the Italian Government in accomplishment of the Italian law n. 221/2015, applying a variety of different models and economic valuation methods to provide systematic and replicable information on natural capital through national accounting tables. We find that land management and maintenance of the countryside and forestland, which represent the typical Italian landscape, are fundamental. Our application also identifies several modelling challenges that need to be addressed before a methodological path for integrated ecosystem and economic accounting may be considered rigorous and reliable.

Cropland expansion outweighs the monetary effect of declining natural vegetation on ecosystem services in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract: Changes in land cover and land degradation alter natural ecosystems, thereby affecting the services these ecosystems provide. However, there have been few attempts to estimate the effects of land cover change and land degradation on ecosystem services at large spatial scales and under the strong influence of human activities. Here, we used the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative land cover maps (1992–2015) and the value transfer valuation method to estimate the changes in ecosystem services value (ESV) in response to land cover change in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Moreover, we estimated the loss of ESV due to land degradation by using the long-term (1992–2015) trend in the annual normalized difference vegetation index as a proxy for long-term biomass productivity decline. Our results revealed that, between 1992 and 2015, cropland increased by about 20 million ha, largely at the expense of forest and shrubland. The total estimated ESV of SSA was about US$9 trillion year−1, of which 55% was derived from cropland and deciduous forest, with comparable contributions. Land cover change resulted in a net increase in the total ESV by US$125 billion year−1 (1992–2015), albeit with an ESV loss of US$60 billion year−1 from the conversion of evergreen forest and shrubland. Overall, cropland expansion accounted for about 60% of the increase in the total ESV (US$125 billion year−1), thereby outweighing the decrease in ESV due to the decline in natural vegetation. Land degradation hotspots covered about 5% of SSA, resulting in a total ESV loss of about US$56 billion year−1, of which nearly 65% was due to the degradation of forests and croplands. Changes in ESV varied across sub-regions, climate zones, and countries, depending on the dominant land cover change and the extent of land degradation. Our results provide useful insights for making informed decisions towards sustainable use and management of ecosystems.

Linking ecosystem services and subjective well-being in rapidly urbanizing watersheds: Insights from a multilevel linear model

Abstract: In rapidly urbanizing watersheds with conflicts between socioeconomic development and ecological protection, understanding the relationship between ecosystem services (ESs) and human well-being is important for regional sustainability. However, quantifying their relationship over multiple scales remains challenging. We selected a typical rapidly urbanizing watershed, the Baiyangdian watershed in China, and used surveys and a multilevel linear model to analyze the influence of regional ESs and individual characteristics on subjective well-being (SWB). Our results showed that the multilevel linear model could effectively capture the influences of regional ESs on the residents’ SWB. For the watershed, 95.9% of the total variance in the residents’ SWB was attributed to variation between individuals, and the remaining 4.1% was attributed to variation between regions. The SWB of rural residents was more likely to be affected by regional ESs than urban residents. In the Baiyangdian watershed, which has a water supply shortage, the SWB of low-income and elderly residents in the rural areas was more sensitive to water retention services, and the association was significant. The results suggest that in rapidly urbanizing watersheds, government should pay attention to maintaining and improving key regulating services to effectively maintain and promote the SWB of rural residents and regional sustainability.

Trade-offs and synergies in the ecosystem service demand of urban brownfield stakeholders

Abstract: Brownfield site redevelopment presents an opportunity to create urban green spaces that provide a wide range of ecosystem services. It is important, therefore, to understand which ecosystem services are demanded by stakeholders and whether there are trade-offs or synergies in this demand. We performed a quantitative survey of ecosystem service demand from brownfield sites that included all major stakeholder groups. Results showed that there was a strong trade-off between demand for services related to property development (e.g. ground strength and low flood risk) and all other services, which were linked to vegetated sites. There was a secondary, but weak, trade-off between demand for services of more ‘natural’ vegetated sites (e.g. with a biodiversity protection role) and those linked to aesthetics and recreation. Stakeholders with a strong preference for biodiversity protection formed a distinct group in their ecosystem service demands. While a ‘development’ vs ‘green space’ trade-off may be unavoidable, the general lack of strong trade-offs in demand for other services indicated that the creation of multifunctional greenspaces from former brownfield sites would be desirable to most stakeholders, as long as these are biophysically possible.

Evaluating and communicating cultural ecosystem services

Abstract: Integrating cultural ecosystem services into decision-making has been under-considered due to a number of key methodological gaps. The multidisciplinary demand of effective cultural ecosystem services research is one reason for this situation. This paper provides and tests a framework of complementary methods and presents an integrated evaluation and communication strategy for cultural ecosystem services. We incorporate research from the humanities, social sciences and environmental sciences to provide a methodological framework for valuing cultural ecosystem services through their spatial distribution and historical changes in Dublin Bay, a semi-urban multi habitat UNESCO biosphere coastal site. The results indicate that the cultural ecosystem services of Dublin Bay have changed historically, and that different values and services depend upon specific coastal habitats. The framework presented relies on mixed methods and contributes to narrowing the gap for lack of readily available data and broadening the number of services or benefits evaluated. This framework can also be used to answer a broader range of research questions, enhancing the contribution of multiple stakeholders and publics, making the dissemination of the results more accessible. We argue for the need for more ambitious multidisciplinary and participatory research to overcome challenges in putting cultural ecosystem service knowledge into practice.

Matches and mismatches between the supply of and demand for cultural ecosystem services in rapidly urbanizing watersheds: A case study in the Guanting Reservoir basin, China

Abstract: Evaluating the spatial relationship between the supply of and demand for cultural ecosystem services (CESs) in rapidly urbanizing watersheds is critical for landscape planning and the improvement of human well-being. However, few approaches can investigate relationships of multiple CESs in a spatially explicit way and involve different groups of stakeholders. In our study, we developed an integrated approach that combined a survey-driven model (SolVES) and a text analysis of the social media reviews, using the Guanting Reservoir basin as an example. Three CESs, including aesthetic service, historical and cultural service, and recreational and therapeutic service, were examined. The results showed that 80% of the total area of the basin exhibited a spatial mismatch between CES supply and demand. Among the three CESs, historical and cultural service had the largest mismatched area, which was dominated by a low supply and high demand. For the venue of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Chongli District, all three CESs exhibited spatial mismatches, while the main type of mismatch was low supply and high demand. Urbanization can either promote a match or worsen a mismatch. Therefore, place-based solutions, such as environmental monitoring and promoting tourism, are encouraged to mitigate the mismatch of CES supply and demand in rapidly urbanizing watersheds.

Analysis of relationships between ecosystem services: A generic classification and review of the literature

Abstract: The scientific literature contains many studies of trade-offs or synergies between ecosystem services (ES); however, it is challenging to qualify and compare these studies. To address this issue, we developed a structured generic methodological classification (typology) of studies that focuses on relationships between ES. The method focuses on characteristics of the spatial and temporal analyses performed and whether drivers of relationships between ES were considered. We used the typology to characterize 103 peer-reviewed articles from 1998 to 2017 identified from a search of the ISI Web of Science. Our results show that most of the studies (74%) focused on quantifying and analyzing ES relationships using a snapshot approach. Spatio-temporal analysis of ES relationships (6% of the studies) remains a major scientific challenge in research. While most studies analyzed drivers of relationships, they focused mainly on coarse indicators of land use and cover (change) and climate change (e.g. temperature and precipitation), and 70% of the studies analyzed relationships between 3 and 6 ES. This review highlights two key research issues: (i) going beyond analysis of coarse drivers by using indicators of land use and (ii) developing spatio-temporal analysis of ES relationships based on field methods to follow-up ES indicators over time or simulation models.

Ecosystem services in the Swedish water-energy-food-land-climate nexus: Anthropogenic pressures and physical interactions

Abstract: Traditionally, challenges of natural resource management have been addressed with a sectoral policy approach. However, it is increasingly recognised that different sectors are interconnected in a complex and mutually interacting system. A nexus approach is proposed to identify synergies and trade-offs between sectors and to foster the sustainable and efficient use of resources, particularly in light of climate change. The nexus approach has led to studies identifying interactions between policy objectives across nexus sectors, but the physical interactions between nexus sectors that can be the result of policy interactions, have received less attention. Nevertheless, such interactions can have severe consequences for the environment, affecting ecosystems and the services they provide. Integrating the nexus approach and the ecosystem service concept may help to better understand pressures and impacts related to a resource nexus and to address trade-offs. In this study, literature and expert assessment are used to analyse the water-energy-food-land-climate nexus in Sweden through the lens of the ecosystem services concept to gain insights into interactions between the nexus sectors. By demonstrating how anthropogenic pressures originating from the nexus sectors affect ecosystem functions and services, this paper serves as a foundation to further inform policy making (within and outside Sweden) when considering the water-energy-food-land-climate nexus.

Marine protected areas and human well-being – A systematic review and recommendations

Abstract: This paper reviews literature relating to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and human well-being. It finds that explicit studies on human well-being from MPAs are limited and empirical studies quantifying these relationships are rare. Most MPA papers, including those examining MPA effectiveness, focus on just a few aspects of well-being in the context of a sub-set of stakeholders, and consider only a single type of MPA. They mostly focus on conventional objective measures that are not comprehensive or systematically selected. This review argues for a systematic and integrative framework to ensure future MPA assessments are equipped to capture MPAs’ contributions to human well-being more adequately and comprehensively. Such a framework can also allow for cross-MPA comparisons that can capture differences in well-being across different types of MPAs, and information gained can be useful for MPA practitioners and policy makers, particularly in reaching current global targets, such as the CBD, Aichi Target 11.

Using graph theory and social media data to assess cultural ecosystem services in coastal areas: Method development and application

Abstract: The use of social media (SM) data has emerged as a promising tool for the assessment of cultural ecosystem services (CES). Most studies have focused on the use of single SM platforms and on the analysis of photo content to assess the demand for CES. Here, we introduce a novel methodology for the assessment of CES using SM data through the application of graph theory network analyses (GTNA) on hashtags associated to SM posts and compare it to photo content analysis. We applied the proposed methodology on two SM platforms, Instagram and Twitter, on three worldwide known case study areas, namely Great Barrier Reef, Galapagos Islands and Easter Island. Our results indicate that the analysis of hashtags through graph theory offers similar capabilities to photo content analysis in the assessment of CES provision and the identification of CES providers. More importantly, GTNA provides greater capabilities at identifying relational values and eudaimonic aspects associated to nature, elusive aspects for photo content analysis. In addition, GTNA contributes to the reduction of the interpreter’s bias associated to photo content analyses, since GTNA is based on the tags provided by the users themselves. The study also highlights the importance of considering data from different SM platforms, as the type of users and the information offered by these platforms can show different CES attributes. The ease of application and relative short computing processing times involved in the application of GTNA makes it a cost-effective method with the potential of being applied to large geographical scales.

Valuing nature-based recreation using a crowdsourced travel cost method: A comparison to onsite survey data and value transfer

Abstract: Representing the economic value of recreation generated by natural ecosystems can provide a powerful incentive for their conservation. Demonstrating value, however, requires resource-intensive surveys or reliance on techniques which transfer value from other sites. Recent technological developments have contributed to an abundance of georeferenced public data as an alternative for exploring human-nature interactions, offering a potential substitute to costly and time-consuming visitor surveys and their commonly adopted alternative for the valuation of recreation, value transfer. Here, we (1) integrate data crowdsourced from geotagged photographs from social media into the travel cost method non-market valuation technique and (2) validate the results with value estimates generated using representative on-site surveys for German national parks and value transfer techniques. As expected from standard economic and consumer demand theory for ordinary goods, we find downsloping demand curves. Consumer surplus for access to the parks ranges between €16.54 and €34.90 (2016 rates). Value estimates are significantly correlated with those generated by on-site surveys, with a mean absolute error of €4.93 and a mean absolute percentage error of 22%, outperforming basic unit value transfer. We highlight the entailed, unprecedented opportunities to extend the scope and reduce costs of research seeking to value outdoor recreation.