sustainability-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service: Challenges for the Future

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Ecology and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2020) | Viewed by 23884

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE), 75007 Paris, France
Interests: biodiversity; ecosystem services; landscape ecology; ecosystem condition and ecosystem integrity

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Institute of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Interests: ecosystem services; ecosystem condition and ecosystem integrity; expert-based estimates

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A growing stock of evidence backs the pivotal role of biodiversity in supporting the capacity of ecosystems to provide a wide range of ecosystem services. Nevertheless, the relationship between the different levels of biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services is still poorly defined and assessed. Recent studies indicate that the current global erosion of biodiversity and the degradation of habitats are at the core of serious concerns for the future of human wellbeing.

The capacity of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services should be considered as non-rival and with interdependent objectives that have to be addressed by management options and policies at all scales. New ideas and results are needed in order to support and promote the role of biodiversity as a key component supporting ecosystem resilience, and as an insurance value for the sustainable provisioning of ecosystem services in socio-ecological systems.

In this Special Issue, we will welcome papers addressing the different aspects of biodiversity and ecosystem service relationships from the ecological, societal, and economical points of view. Basic and applied research papers are equally expected. Special interest will be given to the papers addressing policy issues such the biodiversity strategies from national to global levels.

Dr. Philip K. Roche
Dr. C. Sylvie Campagne
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • ecosystem services
  • policy
  • socio-ecological systems
  • biodiversity strategy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

47 pages, 8205 KiB  
Article
An Eco-GAME Meta-Evaluation of Existing Methods for the Appreciation of Ecosystem Services
by Maurizio Sajeva, Marjo Maidell, Jonne Kotta and Anneliis Peterson
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7805; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187805 - 21 Sep 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3400
Abstract
The isolation of science disciplines and the weak integration between science, policy and society represent main challenges for sustainable human development. If, on the one hand, the specialization of science has produced higher levels of knowledge, on the other hand, the whole picture [...] Read more.
The isolation of science disciplines and the weak integration between science, policy and society represent main challenges for sustainable human development. If, on the one hand, the specialization of science has produced higher levels of knowledge, on the other hand, the whole picture of the complex interactions between systems has suffered. Economic and natural sciences are, on matters of sustainable development, strongly divergent, and the interface informing decision-making is weak. This downplays uncertainty and creates room for entrenched political positions, compromising evidence-based decision-making and putting the urgent need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030 at risk. This article presents the heterodox Eco-GAME framework for interconnecting science through trans-disciplinary social-learning and meta-evaluation of scientific knowledge in pursuit of SDGs. The framework is tested and refined in the BONUS MARES project by systematic literature analysis, participatory workshops, and semi-structured interviews, in relation to the specific habitats of Baltic Sea mussel reefs, seagrass beds and macroalgae ecosystem services produced and methods applied. The results, acknowledging the urgency of interfacing science, policy and society, validate the Eco-GAME as a framework for this purpose and present a multi-dimensional system of indicators as a further development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service: Challenges for the Future)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1012 KiB  
Article
MICESE: A New Method Used for the Formulation of Key Messages from the Scientific Community for the EU Post 2020 Biodiversity Strategy
by Frédéric Gosselin, Antonia Galanaki, Marie Vandewalle, Jiska Van Dijk, Liisa Varumo, Jorge Ventocilla, Allan Watt and Juliette Young
Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2385; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062385 - 18 Mar 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5117
Abstract
The European Union (EU) 2020 Biodiversity strategy will soon come to an end and may not have been as successful as envisioned. In the current context of the global biodiversity crisis, the European Commission, the research community, and broader society cannot risk another, [...] Read more.
The European Union (EU) 2020 Biodiversity strategy will soon come to an end and may not have been as successful as envisioned. In the current context of the global biodiversity crisis, the European Commission, the research community, and broader society cannot risk another, likely ineffective, attempt by the EU to halt biodiversity loss after 2020. Through the development of the EU post 2020 Biodiversity Strategy, the scientific community of the ALTER-Net and EKLIPSE networks saw a unique opportunity to make a difference for biodiversity in Europe by better involving scientists, policy makers, and society. We developed an innovative, transparent, and collaborative process—called the multiphased, iterative, and consultative elicitation of scientific expertise (MICESE) method. This process allowed us to produce a set of 12 key messages developed by scientists for the EU to prioritize in the development of the new post 2020 biodiversity strategy. These key messages were structured according to their systemic value, scale, and nature. We provide insights and analyses of the new MICESE method before reflecting on how to improve the future involvement of scientists in science–policy interfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service: Challenges for the Future)
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 979 KiB  
Article
Perspectives on Citizen Engagement for the EU Post-2020 Biodiversity Strategy: An Empirical Study
by Liisa Varumo, Rositsa Yaneva, Tarmo Koppel, Iida-Maria Koskela, Mari Carmen Garcia, Sara Sozzo, Eugenio Morello and Marie-Christine Dictor
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1532; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041532 - 18 Feb 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6257
Abstract
The current European Union biodiversity strategy is failing to reach its targets aimed at halting biodiversity loss by 2020, and eyes are already set at the post-2020 strategy. The European Commission is encouraging the active role of citizens in achieving policy objectives in [...] Read more.
The current European Union biodiversity strategy is failing to reach its targets aimed at halting biodiversity loss by 2020, and eyes are already set at the post-2020 strategy. The European Commission is encouraging the active role of citizens in achieving policy objectives in the coming years. In this paper, we explore ways citizens discuss their priorities regarding biodiversity and abilities to influence environmental problems at individual, collective and policy levels. We also examine how the citizen discussions resonate with scientific environmental priorities and how researchers see the role of citizens in policy processes and harmonising citizen and scientific knowledge. To pursue the citizen voices, an expert working group acting as knowledge brokers, facilitated a series of citizen workshops in seven European locations and a reflective researcher workshop in Belgium. Based on the results, participants identified many concrete and value-related measures to stop environmental degradation. The environmental priorities differed between citizens and scientists, but not irreconcilably; rather, they complemented one another. Both groups stressed environmentally minded attitudes in individuals and policy. Displaying diversity of perspectives was regarded as positive and adding legitimacy. Improving methods for balanced encounters among science and society is central for participation to become more than rhetoric in the EU. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service: Challenges for the Future)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2981 KiB  
Article
Implementing Green Infrastructure for the Spatial Planning of Peri-Urban Areas in Geneva, Switzerland
by Erica Honeck, Atte Moilanen, Benjamin Guinaudeau, Nicolas Wyler, Martin A. Schlaepfer, Pascal Martin, Arthur Sanguet, Loreto Urbina, Bertrand von Arx, Joëlle Massy, Claude Fischer and Anthony Lehmann
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1387; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041387 - 13 Feb 2020
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 8101
Abstract
The concept of green infrastructure (GI) seeks to identify and prioritize areas of high ecological value for wildlife and people, to improve the integration of natural values in landscape planning decisions. In 2018, the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, established a roadmap for biodiversity [...] Read more.
The concept of green infrastructure (GI) seeks to identify and prioritize areas of high ecological value for wildlife and people, to improve the integration of natural values in landscape planning decisions. In 2018, the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, established a roadmap for biodiversity conservation, which includes the operationalization of GI covering 30% of the territory by 2030. In this paper, we demonstrate a GI mapping framework in the canton of Geneva. Our approach is based on the combined assessment of three ‘pillars’, namely species’ distribution, landscape structure and connectivity, and ecosystem services, to optimize the allocation of conservation actions using the spatial prioritization software, Zonation. The identified priority conservation areas closely overlap existing natural reserves. Including the three pillars in the landscape prioritization should also improve adhesion to the GI idea, without undermining the protection of threatened species. With regards to land use planning, public and private land parcels with high values for GI may require specific incentives to maintain their desirable characteristics, as they are more likely to be degraded than areas with more building restrictions. Visualizing priority conservation areas in a spatially explicit manner will support decision-makers in Geneva to optimally allocate limited resources for ecosystem preservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service: Challenges for the Future)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop