A local-scale spatial analysis of ecosystem services and ecosystem service bundles in the upper Hun River catchment, China

A shared understanding of the benefits and tradeoffs to people from alternative land management strategies is critical to successful decision-making for managing public lands and fostering shared stewardship. This study describes an approach for identifying and monitoring the types of resource benefits and tradeoffs considered in National Forest planning in the United States under the 2012 Planning Rule and demonstrates the use of tools for conceptualizing the production of ecosystem services and benefits from alternative land management strategies. Efforts to apply these tools through workshops and engagement exercises provide opportunities to explore and highlight measures, indicators, and data sources for characterizing benefits and tradeoffs in collaborative environments involving interdisciplinary planning teams. Conceptual modeling tools are applied to a case study examining the social and economic benefits of recreation on the Ashley National Forest. The case study illustrates how these types of tools facilitate dialog for planning teams to discuss alternatives and key ecosystem service outcomes, create easy to interpret visuals that map details in plans, and provide a basis for selecting ecosystem service (socio-economic) metrics. These metrics can be used to enhance environmental impact analysis, and help satisfy the goals of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 2012 Planning Rule, and shared stewardship initiatives. The systematic consideration of ecosystem services outcomes and metrics supported by this approach enhanced dialog between members of the Forest planning team, allowed for a more transparent process in identification of key linkages and outcomes, and identified impacts and outcomes that may not have been apparent to the sociologist who is lacking the resource specific expertise of these participants. As a result, the use of the Ecosystem Service Conceptual Model (ESCM) process may result in reduced time for internal reviews and greater comprehension of anticipated outcomes and impacts of proposed management in the plan revision Environmental Impact Statement amongst the planning team.

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Analysis of the Internal Relationship between Ecological Value and Economic Value Based on the Forest Resources in China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13126795 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 6795

Author(s):

Jianxin Geng ◽

Chengzhi Liang

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Natural Resource ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Market Value ◽

Forest Resources ◽

Atmospheric Environment ◽

Shanxi Province ◽

Ecosystem Service Value ◽

Service Value ◽

Asset Value

In this study, we applied gross ecosystem product (GEP) theory in a case study to analyze and explain the natural resource asset value and ecosystem service value of forest resources in Jiaokou County, Shanxi Province, Northern China, in 2018. GEP refers to the total value of various final material products and services provided by ecosystems. In this paper, six service functions of a forest system, including water conservation, soil conservation, carbon fixation and oxygen release, forest nutrients, purification of atmospheric environment, and biodiversity, are valued by three calculation methods: the alternative cost method, market value method, and control cost method. The study revealed the following: (1) There is a parallel relationship between the value of natural resource assets and the value of ecosystem services. GEP includes the market value of natural resource assets, but it is mostly the value of ecosystem services. (2) The measurement of the physical quantity of forest ecosystem services depends on parameter data, and the monetary calculation often has no mature pricing basis, which leads to the large scale and uncertainty surrounding the evaluation results of ecosystem services. (3) The ecosystem service value and natural resource asset value have different practical significance, as well as alternate theoretical bases. The value of natural resource assets can be used as the asset valuation basis of economic transactions, which plays a role in macroeconomic management. The value of ecosystem services can be used as the basis of ecological compensation, providing information for the preparation of the balance sheet of natural resources.

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An Overview of Ecosystem Service Studies in a Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot, Sri Lanka: Key Perspectives for Future Research

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12050540 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 540

Author(s):

Chaya Sarathchandra ◽

Yirga Alemu Abebe ◽

Iresha Lakmali Wijerathne ◽

Sasith Tharanga Aluthwattha ◽

Sriyani Wickramasinghe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Future Research ◽

Species Introduction ◽

Related Research ◽

Management Actions ◽

Service Category ◽

Tropical Biodiversity ◽

Published Evidence

Tropical island countries are often highly populated and deliver immense ecosystem service benefits. As human wellbeing depends on these ecosystems, proper management is crucial in the resource-rich tropical lands where there is less related research. Though ecosystem service and biodiversity studies are a promising path to inform the ecosystem management for these mostly developing countries, published evidence of using ecosystem service studies in decision making is lacking. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of ecosystem services and related research in Sri Lanka, examining trends and gaps in how these studies are conceptualized. Out of the considered 220 peer-reviewed articles, the majority of articles (48.2%) were terrestrial and forest related while coastal ecosystems were considered in 33.2% of studies. In most studies, the ecosystem service category studied was provisioning (31.5%) followed by regulatory service (28.7%). Studies investigating and quantifying ecosystem services, pressures on ecosystems, and their management were fewer compared to studies related to biodiversity or species introduction. Moreover, studies investigating the value of ecosystem services and biodiversity to the communities or involvement of stakeholders in the development of management actions regarding the ecosystem services were rare in Sri Lanka, and an intense focus from future studies in these aspects is timely and necessary.

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Study on the Comprehensive Improvement of Ecosystem Services in a China’s Bay City for Spatial Optimization

Water ◽

10.3390/w13152072 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (15) ◽

pp. 2072

Author(s):

Ying Fang ◽

Tianlin Zhai ◽

Xiaodong Zhao ◽

Kun Chen ◽

Baishu Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Food Supply ◽

Spatial Optimization ◽

Coastal Areas ◽

Water Yield ◽

Human Welfare ◽

Yantai City ◽

Synergistic Relationships

Ecosystem services are characterized by region and scale, and contribute to human welfare. Taking Yantai city, a typical bay city in China, as the example, its three representative ecosystem services: food supply (FS), carbon sequestration (CS) and water yield (WY) were chosen as study targets. Based on analyzation of six different aspects of the supply and variation characteristic of demand, this study tried to propose advices for comprehensive improvement of ecosystem services for spatial optimization. The results showed that: (1) ecosystem services supply was strong in central and southern areas of Yantai, while the northern coastal areas were relatively weak; (2) synergistic relationships were found of FS-CS, FS-WY and CS-WY both in 2009 and 2015, with the strongest one for FS-WY. Additionally, in the synergistic relationships, each pair of ecosystem services was dominated by one ecosystem service; (3) most of the three pairs of synergistic relationships had the tendency to strengthen with larger scales; (4) four ecosystem demands changing areas were observed and comprehensive improvement suggestions for them were proposed. This work provides a new attempt to improve ecosystem services based on its supply-demand relationship, which will give a baseline reference for related studies in Yantai city, as well as other similar bay cities.

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Towards sustainable management of the stock and ecosystem services of urban trees. From theory to model and application

Trees ◽

10.1007/s00468-021-02100-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

H. Pretzsch ◽

A. Moser-Reischl ◽

M. A. Rahman ◽

S. Pauleit ◽

T. Rötzer

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Leaf Area ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Urban Trees ◽

Urban Tree ◽

Age Class ◽

Sustainable Planning

Abstract Key message A model for sustainable planning of urban tree stocks is proposed, incorporating growth, mortality, replacement rates and ecosystem service provision, providing a basis for planning of urban tree stocks. Abstract Many recent studies have improved the knowledge about urban trees, their structures, functions, and ecosystem services. We introduce a concept and model for the sustainable management of urban trees, analogous to the concept of sustainable forestry developed by Carl von Carlowitz and others. The main drivers of the model are species-specific tree diameter growth functions and mortality rates. Based on the initial tree stock and options for the annual replanting, the shift of the distribution of the number of trees per age class can be predicted with progressing time. Structural characteristics such as biomass and leaf area are derived from tree dimensions that can be related to functions such as carbon sequestration or cooling. To demonstrate the potential of the dynamic model, we first show how different initial stocks of trees can be quantitatively assessed by sustainability indicators compared to a target stock. Second, we derive proxy variables for ecosystem services (e.g. biomass for carbon sequestration, leaf area for deposition and shading) from a given distribution of the number of trees per age class. Third, we show by scenario analyses how selected ecosystem services and functions may be improved by combining complementary tree species. We exercise one aspect (cooling) of one ecosystem service (temperature mitigation) as an example. The approach integrates mosaic pieces of knowledge about urban trees, their structures, functions, and resulting ecosystem services. The presented model makes this knowledge available for a sustainable management of urban tree stocks. We discuss the potential and relevance of the developed concept and model for ecologically and economically sustainable planning and management, in view of progressing urbanization and environmental changes.

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Ecosystem Services Changes on Farmland in Response to Urbanization in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area of China

Land ◽

10.3390/land10050501 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 501

Author(s):

Xuege Wang ◽

Fengqin Yan ◽

Yinwei Zeng ◽

Ming Chen ◽

Bin He ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Food Production ◽

Great Loss ◽

The Past ◽

Bay Area ◽

Farmland Loss ◽

The World

Extensive urbanization around the world has caused a great loss of farmland, which significantly impacts the ecosystem services provided by farmland. This study investigated the farmland loss due to urbanization in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) of China from 1980 to 2018 based on multiperiod datasets from the Land Use and Land Cover of China databases. Then, we calculated ecosystem service values (ESVs) of farmland using valuation methods to estimate the ecosystem service variations caused by urbanization in the study area. The results showed that 3711.3 km2 of farmland disappeared because of urbanization, and paddy fields suffered much higher losses than dry farmland. Most of the farmland was converted to urban residential land from 1980 to 2018. In the past 38 years, the ESV of farmland decreased by 5036.7 million yuan due to urbanization, with the highest loss of 2177.5 million yuan from 2000–2010. The hydrological regulation, food production and gas regulation of farmland decreased the most due to urbanization. The top five cities that had the largest total ESV loss of farmland caused by urbanization were Guangzhou, Dongguan, Foshan, Shenzhen and Huizhou. This study revealed that urbanization has increasingly become the dominant reason for farmland loss in the GBA. Our study suggests that governments should increase the construction of ecological cities and attractive countryside to protect farmland and improve the regional ESV.

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Analysis of Ecological Service Value in Vulnerable Karst Area of Southwestern Guizhou

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.347-353.2241 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 347-353 ◽

pp. 2241-2244

Author(s):

Feng Tai Zhang ◽

La Chun Wang ◽

Wei Ci Su ◽

Yu Hua Liang ◽

Ji Xin Shao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Local Economy ◽

Karst Area ◽

Karst Region ◽

Ecosystem Service Value ◽

Rocky Desertification ◽

Service Value ◽

Unit Value ◽

Southwestern Guizhou

The domestic and foreign evaluations of ecosystem service value are difficult to draw on results accepted by the public and academia. This reflects the research methods are still not mature, need to continue to be improved. In this paper, an attempt has been made to give urban unit value of ecosystem services and set up the values per unit area in southwestern Guizhou of China, in accordance with unit value of global ecosystem services developed by Costanza, et al., Chinese one by Xie, et al. and the actual situation of karst region. The analysis revealed that in the study area, the total ecosystem service value is $1.876×109 in 2006, equivalent to 104.3% of 2006 GDP (Gross Domestic Product), $1.799×109（1US$=7.8136，2006）. If the rocks change into forest in the study area, ecosystem service value will add $0.221×109, equivalent to 12.28% of GDP in 2006. Therefore, we conclude that the ecosystem services value is higher, compared to the local economy. In addition, the rocky desertification area is larger, and has already seriously influenced ecosystem service function. The tasks of ecological environment protection, propaganda and education in this region are of great significance.

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