Are ecosystem services adequately quantified
Annelies Boerema,Alanna J. Rebelo,Alanna J. Rebelo,Merche B. Bodí,Karen J. Esler,Patrick Meire +5 more
TLDR
ES appear to be poorly quantified in many cases, as often only one side of the cascade is considered (either the ecological or socio-economic side) and oversimplified and variable indicators are often used.Abstract:
Summary
Quantification of ecosystem services (ES) is an important step in operationalizing the concept for management and decision-making. With the exponential increase in ES research, ES have become a ‘catch-all phrase’, which some suggest has led to a poorly defined, impractical and ambiguous concept. An overview of the methods used in ES quantification is needed to examine their scientific rigour and provide guidelines for selecting appropriate measures.
We present a systematic review of 405 peer-reviewed ES research papers to address the question: ‘Is the biophysical and socio-economic reality of ES adequately quantified? First, we considered whether ES measures are scientifically rigorous enough by considering four predefined criteria (the type of data used, quantification of uncertainty, validation done and data reported). Secondly, using a novel approach, we determined which part of the ES cascade was measured: the ecosystem property, function, service, benefit or value.
Our results showed that each of the 21 ES analysed had on average 24 different measures, which may indicate the complex reality of ES and/or suggest a potential lack of consensus on what constitutes an ES. We found that uncertainty is often not included and validation mostly missing.
When analysing which part(s) of the ES cascade each measure corresponded to, we found that for regulating ES, ecosystem properties and functions (ecological aspects) are more commonly quantified (67% of measures). Conversely for provisioning ES, benefits and values (socio-economic aspects) are more commonly quantified (68%). Cultural ES are predominantly quantified using scores (35%).
In conclusion, ES appear to be poorly quantified in many cases, as often only one side of the cascade is considered (either the ecological or socio-economic side) and oversimplified and variable indicators are often used.
Policy implications. This review provides a detailed overview of ecosystem services (ES) quantification (ranging from simple scores to advanced methods) with the aim to support future ES quantification and ultimately the successful application of the ES concept.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Ecosystem services classification: A systems ecology perspective of the cascade framework.
Alessandra La Notte,Dalia D'amato,Hanna Mäkinen,Maria Luisa Paracchini,Camino Liquete,Benis N. Egoh,Davide Geneletti,Neville D. Crossman +7 more
TL;DR: The cascade model is used as framework, and Systems Ecology as theoretical basis, and the notions of biomass information and interaction enrich a refreshed conceptualization that shifts from a ‘two dimensional’ to a "telescopic" perspective.
Journal ArticleDOI
Research trends in ecosystem services provided by insects
Jorge Ari Noriega,Joaquín Hortal,Joaquín Hortal,Francisco M. Azcárate,Matty P. Berg,Núria Bonada,Maria J. I. Briones,Israel Del Toro,Dave Goulson,Sébastien Ibanez,Douglas A. Landis,Marco Moretti,Simon G. Potts,Eleanor M. Slade,Eleanor M. Slade,Jane C. Stout,Michael D. Ulyshen,Felix L. Wäckers,Ben A. Woodcock,Ana M. C. Santos +19 more
TL;DR: The results suggest that current knowledge on the ES provided by insects is relatively scarce and biased, and gaps in the least-studied functional and taxonomic groups are shown.
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A global review of the ecosystem services provided by bivalve aquaculture
Journal ArticleDOI
Where concepts meet the real world: A systematic review of ecosystem service indicators and their classification using CICES
Bálint Czúcz,Ildikó Arany,Marion Potschin-Young,Krisztina Bereczki,Miklós Kertész,Márton Kiss,Réka Aszalós,Roy Haines-Young +7 more
TL;DR: A ‘concept matching’ systematic review linking the classes of the Common International Classification for Ecosystem Services (CICES, v4.3) to the ways scientists define and apply ES indicators in published studies is presented.
Journal ArticleDOI
Ecosystem services accounts: Valuing the actual flow of nature-based recreation from ecosystems to people
Sara Vallecillo,Alessandra La Notte,Grazia Zulian,Silvia Ferrini,Silvia Ferrini,Joachim Maes +5 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed ecosystem services accounts at the European Union level, using nature-based recreation as a case study and following the current international accounting framework: System of Environmental-Economic Accounting - Experimental Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EEA).
References
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The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital
Robert Costanza,Rudolf de Groot,Stephen Farberk,Monica Grasso,Bruce Hannon,Karin E. Limburg,Shahid Naeem,José M. Paruelo,Robert Raskin,Paul Suttonkk,Marjan van den Belt +10 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors have estimated the current economic value of 17 ecosystem services for 16 biomes, based on published studies and a few original calculations, for the entire biosphere, the value (most of which is outside the market) is estimated to be in the range of US$16-54 trillion (10^(12)) per year, with an average of US $33 trillion per year.
Journal ArticleDOI
Challenges in integrating the concept of ecosystem services and values in landscape planning, management and decision making
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide an overview of the challenges involved in applying ecosystem service assessment and valuation to environmental management and discuss some solutions to come to a comprehensive and practical framework.
Journal ArticleDOI
Defining and classifying ecosystem services for decision making
TL;DR: The concept of ecosystem services has become an important model for linking the functioning of ecosystems to human welfare Understanding this link is critical for a wide-range of decision-making contexts.
Journal ArticleDOI
Global estimates of the value of ecosystems and their services in monetary units
Rudolf de Groot,Luke Brander,Sander van der Ploeg,Robert Costanza,Florence Bernard,Leon Braat,Michael Christie,Neville D. Crossman,Andrea Ghermandi,Lars Hein,Salman Hussain,Pushpam Kumar,Alistair McVittie,Rosimeiry Portela,Luis C. Rodriguez,Patrick ten Brink,Pieter van Beukering +16 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented an overview of the value of ecosystem services of 10 main biomes expressed in monetary units and showed that most of this value is outside the market and best considered as nontradable public benefits.
Journal ArticleDOI
What are Ecosystem Services? The Need for Standardized Environmental Accounting Units
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that the term "ecosystem services" is too ad hoc to be of practical use in welfare accounting and propose a definition, rooted in economic principles, of ecosystem service units.