scholarly journals Stakeholder perspectives on ecosystem services of mountain lakes in the European Alps

2022 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 101386
Author(s):  
Manuel Ebner ◽  
Veronika Fontana ◽  
Uta Schirpke ◽  
Ulrike Tappeiner
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Mountain Lakes ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Stakeholder Perspectives

scholarly journals Quantifying Ecosystem Services of High Mountain Lakes across Different Socio-Ecological Contexts

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6051
Author(s):  
Uta Schirpke ◽  
Manuel Ebner ◽  
Hanna Pritsch ◽  
Veronika Fontana ◽  
Rainer Kurmayer
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Mountain Lakes ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Ecological Context ◽  
Aesthetic Value ◽  
Research Education

Mountain lakes are highly sensitive to global change, requiring sustainable management strategies that support crucial ecosystem services (ES). However, small mountain lakes are rarely in the focus of ES assessments, and indicators are potentially lacking. Therefore, this study aimed at comprehensively assessing key ES of 15 study lakes located in two regions in the European Alps. We involved local stakeholders and experts to identify important ES. We quantified eight ES in non-monetary terms, using 29 indicators based on limnological, spatial and socio-economic data. Finally, we evaluated ES in relation to the socio-ecological context of the study lakes. The most important ES included surface water for non-drinking purposes, maintaining populations and habitats, outdoor recreation, aesthetic value, entertainment and representation, scientific research, education as well as existence, option, or bequest value. Quantitative results indicate varying levels of ES across the study lakes. Based on 12 different socio-ecological variables, we identified four groups of lakes differing also in five ES. Maintaining populations and habitats, aesthetic value as well as existence, option or bequest value were rather independent from the socio-ecological context. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of ES of mountain lakes, also supporting the development of sustainable management strategies in mountain regions.

scholarly journals Stakeholders’ Perspectives to Support the Integration of Ecosystem Services in Spatial Planning in Switzerland

Environments ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rémi Jaligot ◽  
Jérôme Chenal
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Spatial Planning ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Paradigm Change ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
Stakeholder Perspectives ◽  
Land Use And Management ◽  
Ecosystem Multifunctionality

Integrating the concept of ecosystem services (ES) into spatial planning is an opportunity to make land use and management choices that maximize the delivery of multiple ES. The assessment of social demand can be useful for the identification of priority areas or potential conflicts among stakeholders. We used Q-methodology to understand stakeholder perspectives on ES to facilitate their integration into spatial planning in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Three perspectives, utilitarian, cultural and protective, were analyzed and used to discuss potential implications for spatial planning. First, ecosystem multifunctionality and synergies among ES should be emphasized. Second, the food production system should move away from a productive-only approach, to a system that protects soils and their functions. Providing a paradigm change, arable land could be protected to the same level as forests and farmers could be incentivized further to change their practices. Finally, our findings show a potential over-interpretation of the importance of cultural ES in current planning policies, as most participants would be ready to change their behaviors to preserve biological functions. It would be useful to conduct a similar study in other cantons to ensure that the results are fully representative of the current situation in Switzerland.

Stakeholder perspectives of wood-pasture ecosystem services: A case study from Iberian dehesas

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 324-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Garrido ◽  
Marine Elbakidze ◽  
Per Angelstam ◽  
Tobias Plieninger ◽  
Fernando Pulido ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Stakeholder Perspectives ◽  
Wood Pasture

scholarly journals Revealing Salient Aquatic Ecosystem Services Bundles: A Q-Methodology Application in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Jourdain ◽  
Namakando Namakando ◽  
Eric Dada Mungatana ◽  
Alisher Mirzabaev ◽  
Georgina Njiraini
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Wicked Problem ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Stakeholder Perspectives ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Infrastructure Investments

Abstract Preserving water quality, which has at least four of the ten characteristics of a “wicked problem”, is fundamental for economic development, ecosystems function, and human wellbeing. Consequently, identifying suitable public policies or technological solutions that can maintain or restore affected ecosystems, especially in river catchments, is a huge challenge. Understanding diverse stakeholder perspectives on important water related ecosystem services is critical to improving water governance and quality. This study uses the Q-methodology to identify and analyze perspectives about water-related ecosystem services in the Olifants river catchment, one of the most important and polluted in South Africa, across six diverse stakeholder groups competing for its limited water resources. The Q is a semi-qualitative methodology that can systematically recover detailed views of the subjective perceptions diverse stakeholder groups hold on a given topic. Our results suggest existence of three significant and conflicting perspectives. The “conservationists” privilege regulation and supporting services, the “water users” give highest priority to water for domestic and other private uses, while the “planners” rank mastering the environment for societal benefits highest. Equally importantly, our results also suggest solutions like ecological infrastructure investments, which deliver important services for some stakeholders without compromising the welfare of those who hold neutral perspectives towards them.

scholarly journals Effects of forest expansion and land abandonment on ecosystem services of alpine environments: case study in Ledro valley (Italy) for the period 1859-2011

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 875-884 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Profit Maximization ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Forest Expansion ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

<p>During the last century, the European Alps have faced intense socio-economic changes, which have led to respective land-use changes with immediate impact on ecosystem services (ESs). The aim of the study is to present the land-use changes and their effects on the economical contribution of ESs in the alpine environment of Ledro Valley, in Northern Italy. Data were collected through historical cartography and photographic material from 1859, 1973 and 2011. The analysis of landscape evolution highlighted the forest expansion, and partially the urban expansion, at the expense of grasslands and croplands due to a transition from a rural to a touristic and handcrafting economy. The land-use changes led to an overall reduction of the economical contribution of ESs, while further analysis on individual services identified advantages and disadvantages caused by the re-naturalization process of forest expansion. The results suggested that the profit maximization of ESs under the pressure of such land-use changes can be achieved by a) a respective profit maximization from services related to recreation activities (tourism) which have an immediate economical impact on local economies and b) the maintenance and sustainable management of the typical rural landscape and grasslands in order to preserve some of their economical benefits.</p>

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