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Sustainability
Special Issues
Assessing and Valuing Ecosystem Services
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Special Issue "Assessing and Valuing Ecosystem Services"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sandra Notaro
E-Mail Website
SciProfiles
Guest Editor
Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, via Inama, 5, 38122 Trento, Italy
Interests: non-market valuation; economic aspects of natural resource management; ecosystem services valuation; forest economics; recreation
Prof. Dr. Maria De Salvo
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: non-market valuation; assessment of ecosystem services; climate change impact assessment; risk analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The concept of ecosystem services (ES) has gained global attention both in scientific studies and in policy-makers’ agenda after the publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) in 2005. In line with the MEA, the assessment of ES has become of crucial importance for the effective integration between conservation and development policies, and for the implementation of green accounting at local, national, and regional level.

There are multiple ways and tools to measure ES. ES assessment can be performed using biophysical, social or economic (market or non-market) methods. Each method provides a different set of answers and is, at the same time, complementary to the others. Biophysical assessment, for instance, helps to understand the functioning of an ecosystem and importance of different species, habitats, and types of land cover in supplying ecosystem services. Economic and social assessment, by contrast, reveals the direct benefits to society and thus can support decision making on certain land use projects that have an impact on different stakeholders and groups. Translating benefits of ES into monetary terms creates a compelling incentive for local communities, businesses, and decision- and policy-makers to preserve the natural capital and wellbeing for current and future generations.

With this Special Issue, we want to promote an updated picture of the current state of ecosystems services’ assessment, covering all—provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural—categories of services provided by natural and seminatural (agricultural) capital.

We encourage the submission of studies from all scientific fields embracing any assessment tools, theoretical and methodological contributions, reviews and case studies from different regions of the world, to promote advancement of scientific knowledge on ES and awareness of information.

Prof. Dr. Sandra Notaro
Prof. Dr. Maria De Salvo
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 papers will be 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 1900 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

  • Biophysical assessment of ecosystem services
  • Models and tools for ecosystem assessment
  • Mapping of ecosystem services
  • Economic valuation of ecosystem services
  • Payment for ecosystem services
  • Indicators for ecosystem services
  • Stakeholders’ preferences and opinions on ecosystem services
  • Traditional knowledge about ecosystem services
  • Landscape planning and ecosystem services provision
  • Ecosystem services provided by natural and seminatural systems
  • Ecosystem services in protected areas
  • Multifunctional landscape design
  • Green infrastructures and ecosystem services

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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Article
Attitudes and Preferences towards Soil-Based Ecosystem Services: How Do They Vary across Space?
by
Luisa Fernanda Eusse-Villa
,
Cristiano Franceschinis
,
Mara Thiene
,
Jürgen Meyerhoff
,
Alex McBratney
and
Damien Field
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8722; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168722 - 04 Aug 2021
Viewed by 488
Abstract
Soil ecosystem services (ES) provide multiple benefits to human well-being, but the failure to appreciate them has led to soil degradation issues across the globe. Despite an increasing interest in the threats to soil resources, economic valuation in this context is limited. Importantly, [...] Read more.
Soil ecosystem services (ES) provide multiple benefits to human well-being, but the failure to appreciate them has led to soil degradation issues across the globe. Despite an increasing interest in the threats to soil resources, economic valuation in this context is limited. Importantly, most of the existing valuation studies do not account for the spatial distribution of benefits that soil ES provide to the population. In this study, we present the results of a choice experiment (CE) aimed at investigating spatial heterogeneity of attitudes and preferences towards soil conservation and soil ES. We explored spatial heterogeneity of both attitudes and welfare measures via GIS techniques. We found that citizens of the Veneto Region (Northeast Italy) generally have positive attitudes towards soil conservation. We also find positive willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for soil ES in most of the study area and a considerable degree of heterogeneity in the spatial taste distribution. Finally, our results suggest that respondents with pro-environmental attitudes display a higher WTP based on the geographic pattern of the distribution of WTP values and attitudinal scores across the area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing and Valuing Ecosystem Services)
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Article
Biophysical Accounting of Forests’ Value under Different Management Regimes: Conservation vs. Exploitation
by
Paolo Vassallo
,
Claudia Turcato
,
Ilaria Rigo
,
Claudia Scopesi
,
Andrea Costa
,
Matteo Barcella
,
Giulia Dapueto
,
Mauro Mariotti
and
Chiara Paoli
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4638; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094638 - 21 Apr 2021
Viewed by 499
Abstract
Forest ecosystems are important providers of ecosystem functions and services belonging to four categories: supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Forest management, generally focused on timber production, has consequences on the ability of the system to keep providing services. Silviculture, in fact, [...] Read more.
Forest ecosystems are important providers of ecosystem functions and services belonging to four categories: supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Forest management, generally focused on timber production, has consequences on the ability of the system to keep providing services. Silviculture, in fact, may affect the ecological structures and processes from which services arise. In particular, the removal of biomass causes a radical change in the stocks and flows of energy characterizing the system. Aiming at the assessment of differences in stored natural capital and ecosystem functions and services provision, three differently managed temperate forests of common beech (Fagus sylvatica) were considered: (1) a forest in semi-natural condition, (2) a forest carefully managed to get timber in a sustainable way and (3) a forest exploited without management. Natural capital and ecosystem functions and services are here accounted in biophysical terms. Specifically, all the resources used up to create the biomass (stock) and maintain the production (flow) of the different components of the forest system were calculated. Both stored emergy and empower decrease with increasing human pressure on the forest, resulting in a loss of natural capital and a diminished ability of the natural system to contribute to human well-being in terms of ecosystem services provision. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing and Valuing Ecosystem Services)
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Article
Evaluation and Prediction of Ecosystem Service Value in the Zhoushan Islands Based on LUCC
by
Henghui Xi
,
Wanglai Cui
,
Li Cai
,
Mengyuan Chen
and
Chenglei Xu
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2302; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042302 - 20 Feb 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 653
Abstract
Islands are the confluence of terrestrial ecology and marine ecology. With urban expansion and economic development, the ecological environment of islands is facing serious threats. In order to study the island area land use change/cover (LUCC) and its impact on the ecosystem service [...] Read more.
Islands are the confluence of terrestrial ecology and marine ecology. With urban expansion and economic development, the ecological environment of islands is facing serious threats. In order to study the island area land use change/cover (LUCC) and its impact on the ecosystem service value (ESV), this study was conducted. This study evaluated the ESV of Zhoushan Islands based on the LUCC, using the equivalent coefficient method, and simulated and analyzed the ESV of Zhoushan Islands in 2025 under different scenarios using the "Future Land Use Simulation Model". The results showed: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the ESV of Zhoushan Islands showed a "∧" type change trend, and the total amount decreased by 14.1141 million yuan. (2) The spatial distribution and changes of ESV have a certain regularity. The ESV in the center of the island and in the water system area is relatively high but does not change significantly over time, while the ESV of urban buildings and cultivated areas on the edge of the island is low, and, over time, the change is significant. (3) Compared with 2020, the total ESV under the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario shows a slow downward trend, the ESV under the socio-economic development (SED) scenario shows a significant downward trend, and the total ESV under the ecological protection priority (EPP) scenario has increased. This research provides a theoretical basis and support for the development and utilization of island space and the improvement of "eco-economy-society" benefits; in addition, the research results provide support for scientific decision-making on the sustainable use of resources in island areas (island cities) and the sustainable management of ecosystems. Full article
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Review

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Review
Synthesis of Two Decades of US EPA’s Ecosystem Services Research to Inform Environmental, Community and Sustainability Decision Making
by
Matthew C. Harwell
and
Chloe A. Jackson
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8249; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158249 - 23 Jul 2021
Viewed by 401
Abstract
A conceptual framework is helpful to understand what types of ecosystem services (ES) information is needed to support decision making. Principles of structured decision making are helpful for articulating how ES consideration can influence different elements in a given decision context resulting in [...] Read more.
A conceptual framework is helpful to understand what types of ecosystem services (ES) information is needed to support decision making. Principles of structured decision making are helpful for articulating how ES consideration can influence different elements in a given decision context resulting in changes to the environment, human health, and well-being. This article presents a holistic view of an ES framework, summarizing two decades of the US EPA’s ES research, including recent advances in final ES, those ES that provide benefits directly to people. Approximately 150 peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and book chapters characterize a large ES research portfolio. In introducing framework elements and the suite of relevant US EPA research for each element, both challenges and opportunities are identified. Lessons from research to advance each of the final ES elements can be useful for identifying gaps and future science needs. Ultimately, the goal of this article is to help the reader develop an operational understanding of the final ES conceptual framework, an understanding of the state of science for a number of ES elements, and an introduction to some ES tools, models, and frameworks that may be of use in their case-study applications or decision-making contexts. Full article
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