Global mapping of ecosystem services and conservation priorities

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Economics
• Conservation Science

Background:

• Global biodiversity conservation efforts aim to provide economic benefits through ecosystem services.
• Identifying areas that benefit both biodiversity and ecosystem services necessitates mapping and valuing these services.
• Current data limitations restrict the quantification and mapping of most ecosystem services globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the theory, data, and analyses required for mapping ecosystem services.
• To compare the spatial distribution of ecosystem services with conventional biodiversity conservation targets.
• To identify potential "win-win" areas that benefit both biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Main Methods:

• Review of theoretical frameworks for ecosystem service mapping.
• Quantification of global proxies for four ecosystem services due to data limitations.
• Spatial comparison of ecosystem service distribution with biodiversity conservation priorities.

Main Results:

• Data availability only allowed for imperfect global proxies of four ecosystem services.
• Regions selected for maximizing biodiversity did not show higher ecosystem service provision than random regions.
• Spatial concordance varied significantly among different ecosystem services and with conservation priorities.

Conclusions:

• Current biodiversity conservation strategies may not inherently maximize ecosystem service benefits.
• "Win-win" areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services can be identified, but require specific mapping and analysis.
• An interdisciplinary research effort is crucial to fully assess conservation synergies and trade-offs.