User Tools

Site Tools


wiki:ecosystemservices

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision
Previous revision
wiki:ecosystemservices [2017/05/04 13:15] apoldermanwiki:ecosystemservices [2018/07/18 12:31] (current) eurac
Line 1: Line 1:
 ===== Ecosystem Services ===== ===== Ecosystem Services =====
  
-Humans live among ecosystems that provide innumerable benefits to our lives: ranging from the pollination of our crops to providing spiritual values, and everything in between. Collectively, these benefits that people obtain from [[wiki:ecosystem_and_ecosystem_services|ecosystems]] are **Ecosystem Services (ES)** (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005) . ES can refer to both goods (i.e. timber) and services (i.e. water filtration). They have been discussed in related scientific fields since the 1960’s (De Groot et al. 2002)((De Groot, Rudolf S., Matthew A. Wilson, and Roelof MJ Boumans. "A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services." Ecological economics 41.3 (2002): 393-408.)) . However, in the last decade the amount of research on the topic, and its applicability to decision-making, has increased dramatically.+Humans live among ecosystems that provide innumerable benefits to our lives: ranging from the pollination of our crops to providing spiritual values, and everything in between. Collectively, these benefits that people obtain from [[:wiki:ecosystem_and_ecosystem_services|ecosystems]] are **Ecosystem Services (ES)** (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005) . ES can refer to both goods (i.e. timber) and services (i.e. water filtration). They have been discussed in related scientific fields since the 1960’s (De Groot et al. 2002)((De Groot, Rudolf S., Matthew A. Wilson, and Roelof MJ Boumans. "A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services." Ecological economics 41.3 (2002): 393-408.)) . However, in the last decade the amount of research on the topic, and its applicability to decision-making, has increased dramatically.
  
 === Types of ES === === Types of ES ===
Line 9: Line 9:
   * [[:wiki:provisioning_services|provisioning services]] (that provide food, water, timber, and fiber),   * [[:wiki:provisioning_services|provisioning services]] (that provide food, water, timber, and fiber),
   * [[:wiki:regulating_services|regulating services]] (that affect climate [i.e. [[:wiki:carbonsequestration|carbon sequestration]] ], floods, disease, wastes, and water quality [i.e. [[:wiki:surfacewaterfiltration|surface water filtration]]]),   * [[:wiki:regulating_services|regulating services]] (that affect climate [i.e. [[:wiki:carbonsequestration|carbon sequestration]] ], floods, disease, wastes, and water quality [i.e. [[:wiki:surfacewaterfiltration|surface water filtration]]]),
-  * [[:wiki:cultural_services|cultural services]] (that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits), and+  * [[:wiki:cultural_services|cultural services]] (that provide recreational, [[:wiki:aesthetic_values|aesthetic]], and spiritual benefits), and
   * [[:wiki:supporting_services|supporting services]] (such as soil formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling that support all other ES).   * [[:wiki:supporting_services|supporting services]] (such as soil formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling that support all other ES).
  
Line 16: Line 16:
 === Importance of ES === === Importance of ES ===
  
-The applied value of the ES concept, and research about specific ES, is that such information can be used to bolster sustainable, place-based decision making (Villamagna et al. 2013)((Chan, Kai MA, Terre Satterfield, and Joshua Goldstein. "Rethinking ecosystem services to better address and navigate cultural values." Ecological economics 74 (2012): 8-18. .)). Natural resource planning, infrastructure development, natural area management, tourism development, and more, are interconnected with ES. These sectors both depend, and exert pressures, upon the effective provision of ES. Research in the area of ES is making these interconnections explicit. For example, one can estimate the amount of water that is purified by a wetland area and subsequently used by the local population. The value of this service is an important counterbalance to the economic factors that would push for its development into, say, housing. Oftentimes, ES help present natural values in a way that they can be effectively quantified, and thus compared, with traditional economic values (Chan et al. 2012)((4)). By studying ES, the trade-offs, ES values, and relationships between actions and outcomes become more clear, enabling decision-makers to better address the issues they face.+The applied value of the ES concept, and research about specific ES, is that such information can be used to bolster sustainable, place-based decision making (Villamagna et al. 2013)((Chan, Kai MA, Terre Satterfield, and Joshua Goldstein. "Rethinking ecosystem services to better address and navigate cultural values." Ecological economics 74 (2012): 8-18. .)) . Natural resource planning, infrastructure development, natural area management, tourism development, and more, are interconnected with ES. These sectors both depend, and exert pressures, upon the effective provision of ES. Research in the area of ES is making these interconnections explicit. For example, one can estimate the amount of water that is purified by a wetland area and subsequently used by the local population. The value of this service is an important counterbalance to the economic factors that would push for its development into, say, housing. Oftentimes, ES help present natural values in a way that they can be effectively quantified, and thus compared, with traditional economic values (Chan et al. 2012)((4)) . By studying ES, the [[:wiki:es_trade-offs_and_synergies|trade-offs]], ES values, and relationships between actions and outcomes become more clear, enabling decision-makers to better address the issues they face.
  
-Ecosystem Services include such a diverse range of goods and services that consistently defining ways to identify, characterize, and value them is incredibly important for effective application. Unfortunately, the research on ES is anything but consistent, using different terminology, definitions, and frameworks (Villamagna et al. 2013)((Burkhard, Benjamin, Franziska Kroll, and R. Costanza. "Maps of ecosystem services, supply and demand." Encyclopedia of Earth, Environmental Information Coalition. National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC (2010).)). This creates an ongoing challenge for practitioners. Some methods for categorizing, assessing, and valuing ES are reviewed below.+Ecosystem Services include such a diverse range of goods and services that consistently defining ways to identify, characterize, and value them is incredibly important for effective application. Unfortunately, the research on ES is anything but consistent, using different terminology, definitions, and frameworks (Villamagna et al. 2013)((Burkhard, Benjamin, Franziska Kroll, and R. Costanza. "Maps of ecosystem services, supply and demand." Encyclopedia of Earth, Environmental Information Coalition. National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC (2010).)) . This creates an ongoing challenge for practitioners. Some methods for categorizing, assessing, and valuing ES are reviewed below.
  
 === Ecosystem Service Initiatives === === Ecosystem Service Initiatives ===
  
-There are several large scale attempts to frame and evaluate ES across the Alpine Space, Europe, and the globe. Some important examples of such initiatives are:+There are several large scale attempts to frame and evaluate ES across [[:wiki:alpine_space|the Alpine Space]], Europe, and the globe. Some important examples of such initiatives are:
  
   - //[[:wiki:alpes|The AlpES Project]]// , which examines and integrates ecosystem services and policy in the Alpine Space. Further details about the AlpES project may be found on the [[http://www.alpine-space.eu/projects/alpes/en/home|project website]].   - //[[:wiki:alpes|The AlpES Project]]// , which examines and integrates ecosystem services and policy in the Alpine Space. Further details about the AlpES project may be found on the [[http://www.alpine-space.eu/projects/alpes/en/home|project website]].
Line 33: Line 33:
 == ES Supply == == ES Supply ==
  
-//Supply//  is the amount of an ES that can be delivered by an ecosystem. The supply of ecosystem services is strongly linked to natural conditions, e. g. land cover (vegetation), hydrology, soil conditions, fauna, elevation, slope and climate (Burkhard et al. 2010)((6)). In order to better quantify the distinct pieces of supply, it is further broken down into 1.) //potential//  and 2.) //stock//. This differentiation can aid in decision making.+//Supply//  is the amount of an ES that can be delivered by an ecosystem. The supply of ecosystem services is strongly linked to natural conditions, e. g. land cover (vegetation), hydrology, soil conditions, fauna, elevation, slope and climate (Burkhard et al. 2010)((6)) . In order to better quantify the distinct pieces of supply, it is further broken down into 1.) //potential//  and 2.) //stock//. This differentiation can aid in decision making.
  
-  - //Potential//  refers to the hypothetical maximum yield of selected ES that can be used or gained from an explicit portion of an ecosystem (Burkhard et al. 2012, Albert et al. 2016)((Albert, Christian, et al. "Towards a national set of ecosystem service indicators: Insights from Germany." Ecological Indicators 61 (2016): 38-48)) ((8)). This term focuses on natural yields only, and thus does not consider the ways in which human activities can boost or diminish these yields. This means that it can be thought of without respect to current condition. Furthermore, the actual usage of the ES is irrelevant to its potential. Indicators for potential are often modeled based on the natural characteristics of an area. +  - //Potential//  refers to the hypothetical maximum yield of selected ES that can be used or gained from an explicit portion of an ecosystem (Burkhard et al. 2012, Albert et al. 2016)((Albert, Christian, et al. "Towards a national set of ecosystem service indicators: Insights from Germany." Ecological Indicators 61 (2016): 38-48))  ((8)) . This term focuses on natural yields only, and thus does not consider the ways in which human activities can boost or diminish these yields. This means that it can be thought of without respect to current condition. Furthermore, the actual usage of the ES is irrelevant to its potential. Indicators for potential are often modeled based on the natural characteristics of an area. 
-  - //Stock//  refers to the share of currently usable ES provided by an ecosystem. This characteristic can be thought of as the sum the natural potential and any human alterations, which can be either positive or negative. For example, the addition of fertilizer induces stocks that are greater than potential. Thus, stocks may either fall below or above the potential and are the actual maximum yield of a selected ES for the existing conditions on the landscape. Indicators for stock are ideally, especially for provisioning ES, simply direct ecosystem properties (Villamagna et al. 2013)((Villamagna, Amy M., Paul L. Angermeier, and Elena M. Bennett. "Capacity, pressure, demand, and flow: A conceptual framework for analyzing ecosystem service provision and delivery." Ecological Complexity 15 (2013): 114-121.)).+  - //Stock//  refers to the share of currently usable ES provided by an ecosystem. This characteristic can be thought of as the sum the natural potential and any human alterations, which can be either positive or negative. For example, the addition of fertilizer induces stocks that are greater than potential. Thus, stocks may either fall below or above the potential and are the actual maximum yield of a selected ES for the existing conditions on the landscape. Indicators for stock are ideally, especially for provisioning ES, simply direct ecosystem properties (Villamagna et al. 2013)((Villamagna, Amy M., Paul L. Angermeier, and Elena M. Bennett. "Capacity, pressure, demand, and flow: A conceptual framework for analyzing ecosystem service provision and delivery." Ecological Complexity 15 (2013): 114-121.)) .
 == ES Flow == == ES Flow ==
  
Line 50: Line 50:
  
   - [[:wiki:drinkingwater|Surface water for drinking, with minor or no treatment]]   - [[:wiki:drinkingwater|Surface water for drinking, with minor or no treatment]]
-  - Biomass production from grasslands +  - [[:wiki:grassland_biomass|Biomass production from grasslands]] 
-  - Fuel wood+  - [[:wiki:fuel_wood|Fuel wood]]
   - [[:wiki:surfacewaterfiltration|Filtration of surface water by ecosystem types]]   - [[:wiki:surfacewaterfiltration|Filtration of surface water by ecosystem types]]
-  - Protection of areas against avalanches, mudslides, and rockfall+  - [[:wiki:protection_forest|Protection of areas against avalanches, mudslides, and rockfall]]
   - [[:wiki:carbonsequestration|CO2 sequestration by forests and bogs]]   - [[:wiki:carbonsequestration|CO2 sequestration by forests and bogs]]
-  - Outdoor recreation activities (including enjoyment and willingness to preserve) +  - [[:wiki:outdoor_recreation_in_the_alps|Outdoor recreation activities (including enjoyment and willingness to preserve)]] 
-  - Symbolic plants, animals, and landscapes.+  - [[:wiki:symbolic_species|Symbolic plants, animals, and landscapes]].
  
-Now that the ES have been selected, [[:wiki:indicators|indicators]] for each will be developed. They will then be evaluated and mapped for the Alpine Space as part of the AlpES project.+Now that the ES have been selected, [[:wiki:indicators|indicators]] for each will be developed. They will then be evaluated and mapped for the Alpine Space as part of the AlpES project.For each ES indicator, metadata are available [[:wiki:es_indicators_metadata|here]].
  
-{{tag>"natural resource management" "ecosystem services"}}+~~DISCUSSION~~{{tag>"natural resource management" "ecosystem services" "AlpES_project" "indicator"}}
  
  
wiki/ecosystemservices.1493896537.txt.gz · Last modified: 2017/05/04 13:15 by apolderman