Integrating ecosystem services and human well-being into management practices: Insights from a mountain-basin area, China

Stakeholder perception and supply–demand relations are the main challenges and future directions for research on ecosystem services (ES). Based on spatial data and statistical data, we mapped eight key ES supply between 2005–2015 in the Huailai mountain-basin area. Using data from 507 survey questionnaires, we identified the ES demand and the public perceptions of the changes in ES. In addition, we also reveal the characteristics of the spatial distribution of ES demand, analyze the spatial supply–demand matching of ES, and explore the relationships between ES supply–demand and human well-being. From 2005 to 2015, a general upward trend was observed in the supply of four types of product provisioning services, which is different from the trend perceived by the stakeholders. An increasing trend was observed for carbon sequestration and forest recreation, which was in line with the perceptions of change. A spatial mismatch existed between the ES demand and supply, whereby the supply of carbon sequestration, soil conservation, habitat quality, and forest recreation services exceeded the demand in townships in the mountainous and hilly regions. On the other hand, townships located in the valley plains experienced a high imbalance between the demand and the supply. For the four types of product provisioning services, most towns and villages showed a balance in demand and supply. Linking ES supply–demand and human well-being showed that a threshold may exist in the supply–demand imbalance of regulating and supporting services before it begins to impact human well-being. Our study would enrich the theory and methodology research on relationships between ecosystem services and human well-being, and support knowledge to land allocation and management.

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Global Importance of Indigenous and Local Communities’ Managed Lands: Building a Case for Stewardship Schemes

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12197839 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (19) ◽

pp. 7839

Author(s):

Kamaljit K. Sangha

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Natural Resources ◽

Indigenous Peoples ◽

Management Practices ◽

Well Being ◽

Local Communities ◽

Water Regulation ◽

Coastal Marine ◽

Mainstream Society

The role of Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in sustainably using and managing natural resources is becoming broadly recognised within some international platforms (e.g., the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services). However, the support for IPLCs to continue managing their land is either completely absent or scanty. This paper presents the value of only four ecosystem services, estimated at USD 1.16 trillion per year, that are delivered from IPLCs managed lands alone (excluding coastal, marine, and other resources). These four ecosystem services (ES), i.e., carbon sequestration, biocontrol, air, and water regulation offer offsite benefits to the wider regional and global populations yet without returns to the IPLCs themselves except for facing more climate and natural disaster-related challenges mainly caused by the actions of mainstream society. It further outlines key challenges and advocates for establishing stewardship mechanisms to promote and support IPLCs land management practices that will effectively help in protecting and preserving biodiversity, water, and other natural resources on Earth to sustain and enhance human well-being.

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Current overview and potential applications of the soil ecosystem services approach in Brazil

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0100-204x2016000900002 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 51 (9) ◽

pp. 1021-1038 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Rachel Bardy Prado ◽

Elaine Cristina Cardoso Fidalgo ◽

Joyce Maria Guimarães Monteiro ◽

Azeneth Eufrausino Schuler ◽

Fabiane Machado Vezzani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Management Practices ◽

Public Policies ◽

Well Being ◽

Soil Ecosystem ◽

Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Soil Ecosystem Services ◽

Land Use And Management

Abstract Human pressure on ecosystems has undesirable impacts on human well-being. After the Millennium Project, much interdisciplinary research has been developed worldwide aiming to understand these impacts on ecosystem flows and processes, and to learn about the costs and the benefits of ecosystem services for production. Soil provides many ecosystem services, since its multi-functionality is the basis for food production, water filtration, nutrient cycling, and other goods essential to life. This article presents the main concepts and classifications of soil ecosystem services and of its functions; the indicators and the methods for assessment, modeling, and valuation of ecosystem services; some recent applications to assess and evaluate impacts of agricultural management practices on soil ecosystem services; as well as challenges and opportunities for research and for development of public policies related to agro-environmental sustainability in Brazil. Although the role of soil in supplying ecosystem services is yet undervalued, scientists are gradually recognizing soil processes and functions as fundamental to assess ecosystem services and the effects of land use and management on them. Interdisciplinary approaches to integrate science and public policies are necessary to build governance based on ecosystem services.

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The functional agrobiodiversity in the Douro demarcated region viticulture: utopia or reality? Arthropods as a case-study – A review

Ciência e Técnica Vitivinícola ◽

10.1051/ctv/201934010102 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 102-114

Author(s):

Fátima Gonçalves ◽

Cristina Carlos ◽

António Crespi ◽

Claire Villemant ◽

Valeria Trivellone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Management Practices ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Well Being ◽

Provision Of Services ◽

Development Goals ◽

Abundance And Diversity ◽

Aichi Biodiversity Targets ◽

Taxonomic Groups

Aiming to reduce the losses of biodiversity and the degradation of associated ecosystem services, the United Nations established the 2011-2020 period as the UN Decade on Biodiversity. During this period, the countries involved compromised on implementing the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The argument is that biological diversity underpins the functioning of ecosystems and the provision of services essential to human well-being, further contributing to economic development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The purpose of this review is to present results of research and academic works carried out over several years in the Douro Demarcated Region in the field of functional agrobiodiversity, understood as the part of ecosystem biodiversity that provides ecosystem services, which support sustainable agricultural production and can also bring benefits to the regional and global environment and to society as a whole. Such studies specifically aimed to contribute knowledge about the diversity of arthropods in the vineyard ecosystem and about practices that can increase their abundance, diversity and services provided. In this context, a general characterization of the arthropod community identified in the vineyard ecosystem is conducted, complemented by information on the role played, by the taxonomic groups identified. The importance of increasing arthropod populations, the vegetation of vineyard slopes, and the existence of shrubs, forests and hedgerows next to the vineyards is discussed. The fundamental role of soil management practices is also referred, namely that of ground cover and the application of compost from winery wastes in the abundance and diversity of these organisms populations. Finally, bearing in mind the importance of the use of this information by vine growers, the measures taken for its dissemination are also presented.

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Methods for Improvement of the Ecosystem Services of Soil by Sustainable Land Management in the Myjava River Basin

Slovak Journal of Civil Engineering ◽

10.1515/sjce-2017-0005 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 29-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Lenka Korbeľová ◽

Silvia Kohnová

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

River Basin ◽

Land Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Driving Forces ◽

Well Being ◽

Flood Protection ◽

Active Part ◽

Economic Conditions ◽

Sustainable Land Management

Abstract The main aim of this study is the development of methods for the assessment of the ecosystem services (ESS) of soils within the RECARE project and the participatory identification of measures to combat soil threats caused by floods in the Myjava River basin. The Myjava Hills highlands are known for their rapid runoff response and related muddy floods, which are determined by both the natural and socio-economic conditions. Within the frame of the mentioned project, the ESS framework with detailed relationships between the ecology, societal response, driving forces and also human well-being was identified. Next, to assess the SLM practices in the pilot basin, the stakeholders, who showed an interest in solving the flood protection problems in their areas, took an active part in the process of evaluating, scoring and selecting the best sustainable land management practices (SLM) for the flood protection of soil. From the results which were proposed, the technology of vegetative strips was top rated within the total results among all the SLM measures in all the categories, followed by water-retaining ditches and small wooden dams. Building a polder least meets the proposed SLM criteria.

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Protection and Management of Species, Habitats, Ecosystems and Landscapes: Current Trends and Global Needs

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11121244 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1244

Author(s):

Panayotis Dimopoulos ◽

Ioannis P. Kokkoris

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Cultural Landscape ◽

Management Practices ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Well Being ◽

World Population ◽

Conservation And Management

Human well-being and the prerequisite sustainable environmental management are currently at stake, reaching a bottleneck when trying to cope with (i) the ever-growing world population, (ii) the constantly increasing need for natural resources (and the subsequent overexploitation of species, habitats, ecosystems, and landscapes) and (iii) the documented and on-going impacts of climate change. In developed societies, the concern about environmental protection is set high in the public dialogue, as well as to management and policy agendas. The recently constituted Intergovernmental Science—Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) urges transformative changes for technological, economic, and social factors aiming to tackle both direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss. By this, the role of conservation and management practices for the environment is characterized as a crucial and top issue and should deal with (a) promoting best practices from the local to the global level, (b) identifying spatial and temporal knowledge gaps, (c) multidisciplinary aspects for sustainable management practices, (d) identifying and interpreting the role of stakeholders and socio-economic parameters in the decision-making process, and (e) methods and practices to integrate the concept of ecosystem services into natural capital assessment and accounting, conservation and management strategies. Modern literature highlights that land-use change and prioritization, restoration of natural areas, cultural landscape identification and maintenance, should be considered to the top of the scientific and policy agenda, as well as to the epicenter of novel awareness-raising strategies for the environment in the near future.

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Monetäre Bewertung von Ökosystemleistungen: eine kritische Sicht auf einige Kritiken (Essay)

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2017.0014 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 168 (1) ◽

pp. 14-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Peter Elsasser

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Scientific Literature ◽

Well Being ◽

The Political ◽

Political Decision ◽

Monetary Valuation ◽

Intrinsic Values ◽

Ethical Norms ◽

Valuation Of Ecosystem Services ◽

Environmental Valuations

Monetary valuation of ecosystem services: a critical view of some critiques (essay) Diverse objections against the monetary valuation of ecosystem services are being raised in transdisciplinary discussions as well as in the scientific literature. The monetary valuation is said to overlook nature's intrinsic values, to infringe ethical norms, to narrow down perspectives to economic welfare alone, or even to nothing but material well-being, to stimulate the commercialisation of nature – conversely, others criticize that it fails exactly in this respect –, to favour social inequality, and to rely upon undependable methods. This essay questions the cogency of these criticisms and highlights some prejudices and misconceptions, often rooted in an erroneous understanding of the function of environmental valuations in the political decision process.

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