scholarly journals Comparison of Methodological Approaches for the Evaluation of Ecosystem Services for Options to Develop Sustainable Tourism Forms (Ecotourism) (Example: Bratislava IV)

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-200
Author(s):  
Zdena Krnáčová ◽  
Peter Barančok ◽  
Katarína Pavličková ◽  
Alexandra Platková-Demčáková

Abstract Ecosystem services are the benefits provided to human society by natural ecosystems, which are generally understood as the ecosystem processes that sustain human life. In particular, an ecosystem’s cultural services include intangible benefits derived from aesthetic and other experiences, recreation, cognition and spiritual enrichment, and the ability to discern values. The study focuses on the comparison of two methodological approaches to the evaluation of landscape and the benefits of ecosystems for the development of ecological forms of tourism, using Bratislava IV as an example. The basis for database information is the processing of secondary landscape structure. The first methodological approach is based on a detailed mapping of land cover classes (Land Cover) in accordance with the legend of the Technical Guide CORINE Land Cover – supplement at the fourth and fifth levels of mapping in 2014‒2018 and determining the degree of landscape-ecological significance. The second approach is based on creating a set of relevant indicators and their evaluation using the scaling and weighting method. We reached the conclusion that the first methodological approach is more suitable for smaller territories at the cadastral level, while the second is better suited for regional-level territories.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Delle Grazie ◽  
Laurence Gill ◽  
Owen Naughton

<p><strong>Ecosystem services provided by groundwater dependent wetlands (turloughs) in karst areas</strong></p><p><strong>Fabio Massimo Delle Grazie<sup>1</sup>, Owen Naughton<sup>1,2</sup>, Laurence Gill<sup>1</sup></strong></p><p><sup>1 </sup>Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland</p><p><sup>2 </sup>Carlow Institute of Technology, Carlow, Ireland</p><p> </p><p>E-mail: [email protected]</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>According to the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Ireland hosts twenty-one types of Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems (GWDTEs). They include ecosystems like alkaline fens, transition mires, active raised bogs and turloughs.</p><p>Turloughs, the focus of this study, are ephemeral lakes which are present mostly in Ireland and have been compared hydrologically to polje for the period inundation and lacustrine deposits. They are flooded for some periods across the year (typically in the winter) but usually dry up in summer months. Turloughs are defined as Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems (GWDTEs) and as such they are protected under the Water Framework Directive (WFD, Directive 2000/60/EC). As they host protected fauna and flora, they are also designated as a Priority Habitat in Annex 1 of the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). As hydrology is the main driver of their ecosystem, a thorough understanding of their hydrological regime is crucial. The water-bodies supporting GWDTE’s are also protected under the WFD and it is important to establish whether the status of these groundwater bodies is impacting on the functioning of the GWDTE’s and if so, what measures can be introduced to mitigate this impact.</p><p>Ecosystem services can be defined as the conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems sustain and fulfil human life. These can be classified as provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural and examples of them are water and raw materials production, flood risk attenuation, carbon sequestration (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). The determination of the ecosystem services can help analyse different scenarios linked to pressures like road drainage schemes, water supply and wastewater disposal.</p><p>Previous data and field studies (including soil and water sampling and greenhouse gas emission measurements) were performed on seven turloughs. The ecosystem services of the turloughs were determined through appropriate models and software packages and quantified in appropriate biophysical units as well as in monetary terms.</p><p> </p>


Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1401
Author(s):  
Ivan Laco

In this paper we are analyzing the potential of land cover features to provide three regulating ecosystem services (ESs), ES Local climate regulation, ES Water quality regulation and ES Biodiversity promotion, in two case study areas: Special nature reserve (SNR) Obedska bara (Serbia) and Protected landscape area (PLA) Dunajske luhy (Slovakia). Regulating ESs are not only important for proper functioning of ecosystems, but they are also crucial for the existence of human society. To assess the potential of land cover features to provide regulating ESs, we used biophysical methods. The maps of land cover potential to provide regulating ES are the result of the analyses. The results indicate that forests are the most important ecosystems that provide ES Local climate regulation and ES Water quality regulation. For ES Biodiversity promotion, the most important ecosystems were natural and seminatural meadows, wetlands, natural and seminatural rivers and water bodies as well as forests. Overall SNR Obedska bara has higher potential to provide all three regulating ESs than PLA Dunajske luhy. These findings point to the importance of natural areas in ensuring the provision of regulating ESs. Properly selected landscape management is the key for maintaining or improving the potential of land cover features to provide regulating ESs. The research can help local authorities in decision making and in creating conservation strategies for selected protected areas.


Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashebir Woldeyohannes ◽  
Marc Cotter ◽  
Wubneshe Biru ◽  
Girma Kelboro

This study evaluated the effect of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) dynamics on the value of ecosystem services in Abaya-Chamo basin over 1985–2050. The main objectives of the study were to estimate the value of ecosystem services of Abaya-Chamo basin using local and global ecosystem service value coefficients, assess how it changes over time, and develop tools to inform policy and public decision-making to protect lands and waters in the region. The study utilized observed (1985 and 2010) and predicted (2030 and 2050) LULC datasets and ecosystem service value coefficients obtained from publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The results indicated that the total ecosystem service value of Abaya-Chamo basin was 12.13 billion USD in 1985 and 12.45 billion USD in 2010. The value is predicted to increase to 12.47 billion USD by the year 2050, which is 2.84% (344.5 million USD) higher than the total value of ecosystem services of the basin in 1985. Although the total ecosystem service value of the basin showed a slight increase over the study period, it was observed that the total value of services obtained from natural ecosystems is expected to decline by 36.24% between 1985 and 2050. The losses of services obtained from natural ecosystems, such as water regulation and erosion control, are major concern as the consequence has already been reported in the basin in the form of reduced water quality and productivity of the lakes due to an increased soil erosion and sediment transport in the basin. Therefore, special attention should be given to the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems and the protection of remaining natural vegetation and water bodies to enhance natural capital and ecosystem services in the basin. A large-scale dissemination of eco-agricultural land use practices, which provide multiple ecosystem services (such as agroforestry and heterogeneous agricultural areas) in the basin, needs to be considered in the future.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Massimo Delle Grazie ◽  
Laurence Gill

<p>Turloughs, the focus of this study, are ephemeral lakes and they are mostly groundwater dependent. They are present mostly in Ireland and have been compared hydrologically to polje for the period inundation and lacustrine deposits. They are flooded for some periods across the year (typically in the winter) but usually dry up in summer months. Turloughs are protected under the Water Framework Directive (WFD, Directive 2000/60/EC) and the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). Ecosystem services can be defined as the conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems sustain and fulfil human life. These can be classified as provisioning, regulating, and cultural and examples of them are water and raw materials production, flood risk attenuation, carbon sequestration. The determination of the ecosystem services can help analyse different scenarios linked to pressures like road drainage schemes, water supply and wastewater disposal.</p><p> </p><p>Seven turloughs (Blackrock, Lough Coy, Lough Aleenaun, Lough Gealain, Caranavoodaun, Skealoghan, Coolcam) have been selected from a previous study and samples of waters were collected monthly to determine carbon and nutrients. Carbon and nutrients were also determined on soil samples taken from the turlough catchment. The overwhelming majority of wetlands act as long-term sinks for CO<sub>2</sub>. To determine whether this is the case for some of the turloughs in the study, greenhouse gases from soils and water were monitored and balances were worked out. Ecosystem services were quantified through various models which had to be adapted to the special conditions present in the turloughs.</p><p> </p><p>The seven turloughs have different hydrological characteristics. Hydrology is the main driver of vegetation distribution therefore ommunities are distributed in zones arranged along the flooding gradient. Aquatic invertebrates also show a succession of communities through the hydroperiod.</p><p> </p><p>The seven turloughs studied provide a variety of hydrological characteristics, habitat, soil and vegetation and offer different ecosystem services. Each ecosystem service was quantified using appropriate models. Almost all the turloughs are at risk from anthropic activities and potentially from climate change. Important ecosystem services for these turloughs are flood mitigation, nutrient retention, carbon sequestration, habitat preservation and recreational activities.</p>


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 48-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Chobotko ◽  
L. Raychuk ◽  
I. McDonald

The aim of the article was to defi ne the role of the radioactive environment contamination in the formation of ecosystem services strategy. Methods. Monographic, systemic and structural, factor analysis, abstract and logical research methods have been used. The data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, materials of scientifi c researches, international materials and reports and other literary sources on the issues investigated have been used as an information base. Results. Retrospective analysis of sources and state of radioactive eco- systems contamination was conducted and the priority steps in developing the concept of ecosystem services in conditions of radiation contamination were found. Conclusions. The current socio-ecological paradigm of the transition from environmental use to environmental management should be refl ected in the relevant envi- ronmental management mechanisms. Currently, when assessing the state of ecosystem services in Ukraine and worldwide one must take into account the changes in food demand of residents of radioactively contaminated areas, the exploitation of radioactively safe ecosystems growth, their overload and degradation. All of this re- quires an inventory of ecosystem services by type, region, consumers, etc. and the formation of a state register of ecosystem services with a clear assignment of area of responsibility for appropriate natural ecosystems. This will help to make the economic evaluation of different ecosystem services and mechanisms of charges for ecosystem services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 34-38
Author(s):  
Abashina A.D.

Relevance and statement of a problem. Now processes of socialization of younger generation undergo profound changes. They are characterized by transformation of space-time characteristics – narrowing of the field purposeful, expansion of processes of spontaneous socialization. At the same time the methodological approaches and methods of a research aimed at the analysis of the static phenomena applied in pedagogics become insufficient for a research of chaotic processes. There is a need for search of methodology and methods of a research within which the analysis of processes of spontaneous socialization of modern children and teenagers is possible. Research search shows that the solution of this task is possible on the basis of nonclassical methodological approach. Research objective: identification of opportunities of nonclassical methodology for a research of processes of spontaneous socialization of the modern child. Research problems: representation of the methods in logic of nonclassical methodology aimed at the analysis of these processes. Object and subject of research: the situation of development of the child which is characterized by experiences concerning the relations and readiness for an exception of social interaction in various spheres of activity and immersion in the Internet environment. Subject domain of a research: complex of the relations which are the cornerstone of purposeful and spontaneous socialization of the teenager. Research methodology - nonclassical (anthropological) approach. Research materials. In the course of work on a problem the research methods based mainly on the individual and communicative practicians aimed at the analysis of experiences and communication of the child were developed. Results of a research. The qualitative methods based nonclassical approach will allow to understand not only experiences of the child, but also as negative trends under what conditions they lead to break in relations and to search of significant network contacts that is under what conditions processes of purposeful socialization are weakened collect in his social situation of development, extend borders of socialization spontaneous.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 62-69
Author(s):  
S. S. BUDARIN ◽  

The article reveals methodological approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of the use of resources of medi-cal organizations in order to improve the availability and quality of medical care based on the application of the methodology of performance audit; a methodological approach to the use of individual elements of the efficiency audit methodology for evaluating the performance of medical organizations and the effectiveness of the use of available resources is proposed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Atif Bokhari ◽  
Zafeer Saqib ◽  
Amjad Ali ◽  
Arif Mahmud ◽  
Nadia Akhtar ◽  
...  

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