Search Results (77)

Water conservation (WC) is a vital ecosystem service (ES) that plays an essential role in the sustainable management of water resources and ensures ecological security. This research examines the WC capacity of the Citarum watershed in West Java Province, Indonesia, from 2010 to 2020. The specific objectives of this research are as follows: (1) to assess the 10-year temporal and spatial variations of WC using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) and topographic index model; (2) to analyze the temporal interchange between WC and its influencing factors through the Spatial Elastic Coefficient Trajectory Model (SECTM); and (3) to determine the driving factors (DFs) affecting WC by applying Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR). Key findings of this study reveal significant trends in WC from 2010 to 2020: the average WC in the Citarum watershed decreased from 513.96 mm/ha to 453.64 mm/ha (11.74%), indicating a concerning decline in ES capacity. This study also noted that regions implementing comprehensive regulations dominated the study area, covering approximately 72.70% of the total area (502,295 hectares). This illustrates that the implementation of rules plays a crucial role in the WC. Lastly, the MGWR analysis found that WC in the Citarum watershed positively correlated with topography, climate, and vegetation while negatively correlating with socioeconomic factors. This indicates that WC levels are generally lower in areas with higher human activity and economic growth, highlighting the impact of anthropogenic pressures on natural resources. This framework helps stakeholders plan to ensure sustainable development in the area, as it provides valuable insights into the interactions between the ecological and socioeconomic factors affecting WC. Full article

This study evaluates ecosystem services (ESs) in 10 municipalities within the Han River Basin, analyzes trade-offs, and proposes measures to enhance synergies in areas with ES imbalances. The research focuses on: (1) evaluating ESs in Namyangju and Yongin; (2) identifying vulnerable areas through conservation value assessment; (3) analyzing trade-offs in vulnerable and regulated areas; and (4) developing scenarios to mitigate imbalances, comparing ES evaluations before and after implementation. To enhance synergies, three scenarios were developed, focusing on mixed forest planting and integrating ecological tourism and recreational facilities. These were applied to vulnerable and regulated areas in Namyangju and Yongin. We utilized the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) Habitat Quality (HQ) model, InVEST Carbon model, ES evaluation methodology. Synergies were considered improved if all ES indicators showed positive changes post-implementation. The optimal proportions of mixed forest planting and tourism facilities varied by trade-off type and land cover characteristics, as determined by ES evaluation scores. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of ESs in water source protection areas, highlighting trade-offs and offering practical solutions to mitigate imbalances. By focusing on municipalities in the Han River Basin, it presents a novel approach to ES evaluation at the administrative district level and addresses sustainable river land management and key environmental management challenges. Full article

Integrating different ecosystem services (ES) to determine when to harvest a forest stand is still challenging. This is due to the difficulty of obtaining information, models, and methods to quantify those ES and achieving an adequate valuation of these services. In this study, we propose a methodology comprising two different models that could allow for different ES integration with the optimal silviculture to calculate the optimal economic rotation. We have applied both models to eucalyptus plantations in Brazil considering two ES: wood with four different assortments and carbon sequestration. For both models, we calculated a ranking with previously defined management alternatives, with decreasing trees-per-hectare compared to traditional plantations. For the first model, when the ES are measured in monetary units, the optimal rotation corresponds to fewer trees per hectare than the traditional plantations and greater associated profitability. The second model incorporates the ES in physical units through a multi-criteria decision-making model and results in a longer rotation with again fewer trees per hectare. This study suggests that optimum forest rotation analysis should consider ES other than timber production integrated with silvicultural alternatives, such as spacing. Full article

The valuation of the benefits to humans of ecosystem services (ESs) provided by nature has become increasingly important. A current challenge is the measurement of the range of benefits which are not traded in the marketplace and are generally considered intangible, with further challenges to even classify them formally, e.g., as cultural ecosystem services (CESs). Previous studies have emphasized a related challenge: the strong need for engagement of not just experts but ’ordinary people’. Approaches using participatory approaches and less formal communication pathways to draw out local CES values have been reported. However, critical reflections of those studies reported significant differences in understanding between ’outsider researchers’ and ’locals’, calling validity deeply into question. Even deliberative approaches backfired by significantly modifying local social constructs during elicitation. In this study, we demonstrate a fundamentally different kind of approach, developed from the bottom–up sustainability indicator development process called WeValue InSitu. It focuses not on improving deeper top–down ‘engagement’ of a specific topic, but instead on improving local articulation of existing envelopes of in situ human shared values, naturally integrated. The WeValue InSitu output is a framework of separate but interlinked concise Statements of local shared values. Some of these Statements may refer to values concerning ecosystems, but situated amongst others. Here, we analyze the outputs from 23 convenience groups in three sites in Nigeria and investigate the shared values found empirically against existing economics-based MEA classifications. The findings include hybrid values which span existing CES sub-categories and even across into market-based categories. This opens a discussion as to whether future ES valuation frameworks might evolve more usefully with foundations built on empirically derived typologies of human values, rather than bolt-on modifications to financially based economics concepts. It also raises questions about the validity of current valuations made which cannot capture empirically found human values. Full article

Urban forests, as vital components of green infrastructure, provide essential ecosystem services (ESs) that support urban sustainability. However, rapid urban expansion and increased density threaten these forests, creating significant imbalances between the supply and demand for these services. Understanding the characteristics of ecosystem services and reasonably dividing ecological management zones are crucial for promoting sustainable urban development. This study introduces an innovative ecological management zoning framework based on the matching degree and synergies relationships of ESs. Focusing on Fuzhou’s fourth ring road area in China, data from 1038 urban forest sample plots were collected using mobile LIDAR. By integrating the i-Tree Eco model and Kriging interpolation, we assessed the spatial distribution of four key ESs—carbon sequestration, avoided runoff, air purification, and heat mitigation—and analyzed their supply–demand relationships and synergies. Based on these ecological characteristics, we employed unsupervised machine learning classification to identify eight distinct ecological management zones, each accompanied by targeted recommendations. Key findings include the following: (1) ecosystem services of urban forests in Fuzhou exhibit pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with clearly identifiable high-value and low-value areas of significant statistical relevance; (2) heat mitigation, avoided runoff, and air purification services all exhibit synergistic effects, while carbon sequestration shows trade-offs with the other three services in high-value areas, necessitating targeted optimization; (3) eight ecological management zones were identified, each with unique ecological characteristics. This study offers precise spatial insights into Fuzhou’s urban forests, providing a foundation for sustainable ecological management strategies. Full article

Forest ecosystem services are critical for maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being from different perspectives. However, rapid land use changes driven by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and industrial activities have significantly altered forest ecosystems, degrading the services they provide. We here conduct an ecosystem service assessment through biophysical and economic estimates for a multipurpose Andean water sub-basin in western Colombia. We compare a business as usual (BAU) with a forest nature-based solution (NbS) scenario focused on forest landscape restoration. The research employed participatory methods for the NbS selection and economic valuation techniques to evaluate water flow regulation, water provisioning, water purification, and food provisioning services. Results show that the NbS scenario yielded a net positive economic impact across most evaluated ecosystem services, with notable trade-offs. Specifically, the NbS scenario increased water retention by 2.9% compared to BAU. Water flow regulation demonstrated the most substantial economic benefit, increasing by EUR 11.39 million/year in the NbS scenario. On the other hand, the food provisioning service presented a reduction of EUR 3.2 million/year in the NbS scenario. These findings highlight the potential of forest-based NbS to address the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus challenges. The study’s outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, supporting the development of Payment for Ecosystem Services schemes and integrating ecosystem service valuation into land use planning and decision-making processes. Full article

Ecosystem services (ES) are the foundation for the survival and development of human society. It is of great significance to clarify the trade-off and synergy between different types of ES in promoting regional sustainable development. This paper selects the western Jilin Province as a case, focusing on exploring the trade-offs and synergies of ES in ecologically fragile areas, enriching the geographical types of research on the relationships between ecosystem services. Utilizing the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model, this study focused on quantifying four pivotal services—carbon storage, water yield, soil conservation, and habitat quality index—over a two-decade span encompassing the years 2000, 2010, and 2020, and analyzed the trade-offs/synergies between the four ecosystem service functions. The results show that from 2000 to 2020, among the four ecosystem services, water yield and soil conservation increased by 13.57 × 10⁹ m³ and 220.61 × 10⁶ t, respectively, while carbon storage and habitat quality decreased by 5.09 × 10⁶ milligrams and 0.01 units, respectively. At the regional scale, there were only synergistic relationships between carbon storage and soil conservation, and carbon storage and habitat quality. This study provides scientific references to promote sustainable development in the western Jilin Province and offers new insights into the trade-off and synergy of ecosystem services in ecologically fragile areas. Full article

The housing market in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is expanding and with it a need for increased market transparency to guide investors and other stakeholders. The objective of this paper is to evaluate machine learning (ML) methods to appraise real estate in formal and informal housing markets in this nascent market sector. Various advanced ML models are applied with the aim of improving property value estimates in a market with limited access to information. The dataset used included detailed property characteristics and transaction data from both market types. Regression, decision trees, neural networks, and ensemble methods were employed to refine property appraisals across these settings. The findings indicate significant differences between formal and informal market valuations, demonstrating ML’s effectiveness in handling limited data and complex market dynamics. These results emphasise the potential of ML techniques in emerging markets where traditional valuation methods often fail due to the scarcity of transaction data. Full article

This paper reviews natural capital (NC) valuation approaches in the context of woodland, forest, and riparian ecosystems, emphasising the need for participatory methods to take priority over neoclassical economics approaches. Focusing on research carried out in Scotland, the study analyses findings according to a classification of natural capital initiatives that we have developed, building on ideas proposed by the UK ENCA initiative, a guideline proposed to help researchers and practitioners understand NC and take it into account in valuation, decision-making and policy. We have found that landscape-scale initiatives that address the relationships between people and place to inform value and decision-making beyond the economic (monetary) benefits generated by ecosystem services (ES) are becoming popular. For instance, recent methods employed to capture stakeholders’ non-utilitarian preferences include the use of participatory GIS mapping, scenario planning, and other participatory methods to identify, explore and quantify less tangible cultural ecosystem services (CES). The review shows that many studies provide information relevant to the formulation of a place-based NC approach, working towards the integration of contextual and relational values into land management decisions to help formulate management strategies that maximise ES delivery. Conversely, we have not found evidence of the integration of shared values arising from an eco-centric perspective of nature valuation into the more classical, instrumental value lens. Such an approach would help inform broader, overarching aspects of woodland and forest management that may foster more effective conservation and help to manage conflicts. Full article

This study simulated the spatiotemporal changes in coastal ecosystem services (ESs) in the Jiaodong Peninsula from 2000 to 2050 and analyzed the driving mechanisms of climate change and human activities with respect to ESs, aiming to provide policy recommendations that promote regional sustainable development. Future climate change and land use were forecast based on scenarios from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). The Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model was used to assess ESs such as water yield (WY), carbon storage (CS), soil retention (SR), and habitat quality (HQ). Key drivers of ESs were identified using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results demonstrate the following: (1) High WY services are concentrated in coastal built-up areas, while high CS, HQ, and SR services are mainly found in the mountainous and hilly regions with extensive forests and grasslands. (2) By 2050, CS and HQ will show a gradual degradation trend, while the annual variations in WY and SR are closely related to precipitation. Among the different scenarios, the most severe ES degradation occurs under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, while the SSP1-2.6 scenario shows relatively less degradation. (3) SEM analysis indicates that urbanization leads to continuous declines in CS and HQ, with human activities and topographic factors controlling the spatial distribution of the four ESs. Climate factors can directly influence WY and SR, and their impact on ESs is stronger in scenarios with higher human activity intensity than in those with lower human activity intensity. (4) Considering the combined effects of human activities and climate change on ESs, we recommend that future development decisions be made to rationally control the intensity of human activities and give greater consideration to the impact of climate factors on ESs in the context of climate change. Full article

Grasslands provide a wide range of provision, support, regulation, and cultural ecosystem services (ESs), whose valuation methods can be grouped into three categories (ecological, sociocultural, and economic). The present manuscript aims to provide an overview of academic studies on grassland ESs and of the most used economic evaluation methods. To this end, a systematic and bibliometric review was conducted using the scientific database Scopus and the VOSviewer software. The results highlighted that China and the USA were the main countries with the highest number of publications regarding ESs provided by grasslands. The number of publications began to grow starting in 2005, thanks, perhaps, to the publication of influential documents, such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and the general increase in interest in ecological policy issues. The year 2023 had the highest number of documents in absolute (646), demonstrating the timeliness, importance, and relevance of this research topic. The most studied grassland ES has been carbon storage; however, a central role was played also by biodiversity. In this context, papers that estimated grassland ESs from an economic perspective represented only 3% of all papers that Scopus has returned. More than half of these referred to the use of equivalent coefficients to calculate the ES value of different land uses/land cover categories or, at most, of 11 types of ES. All this highlights the difficulty in estimating individual ESs provided by grasslands from an economic point of view and the greater propensity to use physical, chemical, and biological indicators. Consequently, the sustainable management of grasslands requires more studies on the economic evaluation of their ES, as well as environmental aspects in the economic accounting of governments, or to implement a support system for farms in delivering various ecosystem services. Full article

Rapid socioeconomic development, urbanization, agricultural activities, and infrastructure development can greatly alter natural landscapes and their environmental impacts. Understanding these changes is crucial for more sustainable, integrated land management, including addressing water-related environmental challenges. In this study, we explored the impacts of two key factors on water quality and ecosystem services (ESs): land use change and the expansion of wastewater treatment (WWT) infrastructure by combining cellular automata Markov (CAM), water quality and environmental valuation modeling, and statistical analyses. We examined historic land use changes and forecasted their future evolution. The impacts were assessed by analyzing the spatial and temporal distribution of major water pollutants, water quality trends, and the economic valuation of ESs under real WWT expansion conditions, assessing a Chinese policy in effect. The Yongding River Basin in North China was selected as a case study due to significant urbanization and WWT changes over the past decades under arid conditions. The results indicate that pollutant loads were highest in urban areas, followed by rural areas, and that domestic WWT efficiency is a dominant factor in the spatial pattern of pollutant discharge. ES values decrease in the short term but can increase in the long term with WWT expansion, owing to the planned ecosystem restoration policy. This study provides valuable insights into the responses of water pollution and ESs to land use changes over spatiotemporal scales, encouraging the consideration of these factors in future land and infrastructure planning. Full article

We explored the state of the art economic and livelihood valuation of ecosystem services (ES) in the Sundarbans mangroves, including a comparative analysis between the Bangladesh and Indian parts of the region. We identified 145 values from 26 studies to estimate the Sundarbans’ economic and livelihood values. The number of ES valuation studies of the Sundarbans is scant, and it has gradually increased over time, focusing mainly on the estimation of provisioning ES (66.2%), followed by regulating and maintenance (25.5%), and cultural (8.3%) ES. However, recently, attention has been paid to estimation, regulating and maintenance, and cultural ES. The number of studies on ES was higher for the Bangladesh (73%) part of the Sundarbans than the Indian (27%) one. The estimated economic values of the Sundarbans’ provisioning, regulating and maintenance, and cultural ES were US $ 713.30 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, US $ 2584.46 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, and US $ 151.88 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively. Except for cultural ES, the identified values for the other two ES categories were about 1.5 to 2.5 times higher for the Bangladesh Sundarbans compared to the Indian ones. The results of the meta-regression model showed that the estimated economic and livelihood values of ES are affected by the associated variables (e.g., type of ES, valuation methods, study area, population, and GDP). Our study also identified some remarkable gaps and limitations in the economic and livelihood valuation of the ES of the Sundarbans, highlighting the need for further research to find out the values of all ES to help with policy decision-making. Full article

Assessing the value of ecosystem services (ESV) can promote coordinated economic and ecological development. This study aimed to systematically review ecosystem services (ES) research history and research methodology and used the CiteSpace software to analyze 4063 papers in the field of service value in the ecosystem and visually analyze the developments in ES assessment; a conceptual framework combined with landscape genetics for evaluating ES was then constructed. The results showed that, first, the number of articles in the Web of Science (WoS) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases has been increasing annually. Moreover, Ecosystem Services, Sustainability, Ecological Indicators, Science of The Total Environment and Journal of Cleaner Production are the top five journals publishing the greatest number of studies. Second, ES research has seeped into life cycles and landscapes. Lastly, valuation of ES under the impacts of climate change and land use is the current research hotspot. The landscape genetics conceptual framework proposed in this study is a classification system based on the nature of ecological processes and can provide new ideas and methods for ES assessment. Full article

High Nature Value farmland (HNVf) represents a rural landscape characterized by extensive farming practices. These lands not only deliver vital ecosystem services (ES) but also serve as significant harbors of biodiversity, underscoring their critical conservation status. Consequently, European Union countries have prioritized the identification, monitoring, and enhancement of HNVf systems in their policies. As governments and international organizations increasingly lean on green subsidies to promote sustainable environmental practices, the valuation of ecosystem services (VES) emerges as a crucial tool. This valuation offers both an economic rationale for conservation and aids in determining the optimal allocation of these subsidies for maximum environmental and economic return on investment. Given the potential for such valuations to shape and justify conservation subsidies, there is a growing imperative to understand the research trends and knowledge gaps in this realm. This article, through a bibliometric review, seeks to illuminate the size, growth trajectory, and thematic tendencies within HNVf and VES literature. Bibliometric analysis is recognized as promising in identifying research trends; thus, this article consists of a bibliometric review of HNVf and VES research. The objective is to identify the size, growth trajectory, and geographic distribution of HNVf and VES literature between the first publication until 2022, while assessing the critical publishing journals, authors, documents, and conceptual structure of the research fields (e.g., economic, social, and environmental). The analysis revealed a predominant concentration of research on HNVf in Europe, with limited studies conducted outside this continent. The primary focus of these studies revolved around subject areas such as environmental science, agriculture, and biological sciences. Conversely, regarding research on VES, there was no clear regional concentration. VES research publications mainly covered the interdisciplinary fields of economics, biology, and policymaking. As the fields of HNVf and VES have evolved, it is evident that there has been a stronger push towards data-driven approaches, emphasizing the need for tangible assessments and precise understanding. In examining the overlap between topics, the analysis revealed a gap between methodologies for HNVf monitoring and conservation and VES, highlighting the need for further development in crafting an integrated approach encompassing both areas. Full article