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Linking ecosystem characteristics to final ecosystem services for public policy.
Christina P Wong1, Bo Jiang, Ann P Kinzig
1State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
Ecology Letters
|November 15, 2014
Summary
Governments need better ecosystem service measurements for sustainability. This study offers a 10-step approach to bridge data gaps between ecology and economics, enabling informed policy decisions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental science, ecological economics, and public policy.
- Focuses on quantifying ecosystem services for sustainable development and decision-making.
Background:
- Governments recognize ecosystem services for sustainability, but decision-makers lack reliable measurements for trade-off evaluations.
- A significant data gap exists between ecosystem characteristics and final ecosystem services, hindering accurate assessments.
- Current methods like benefit transfer are insufficient without resolving the underlying data gap, exacerbated by disciplinary silos.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a unified 10-step approach for overcoming the data gap in ecosystem service assessment.
- To guide the integration of ecological, economic, and policy concepts and data for improved decision-making.
- To provide a strategic framework for public policy analysts addressing sustainability challenges.
Main Methods:
- Proposes a 10-step methodology to unify disparate disciplinary concepts, methods, and data.
- Recommends estimating ecosystem characteristics via biophysical models.
- Suggests identifying final ecosystem services using defined endpoints and connecting them with ecological production functions to quantify trade-offs.
Main Results:
- A structured approach is provided to bridge the data gap linking ecosystem characteristics to final ecosystem services.
- The method allows for the quantification of biophysical trade-offs between different ecosystem services.
- The guidance emphasizes realistic prioritization, data acquisition timelines, and responsiveness to decision-maker needs.
Conclusions:
- The proposed 10-step approach offers a credible and legitimate method for measuring ecosystem services.
- Integrating ecological and economic perspectives through this framework supports more effective policy and management.
- This unified approach is crucial for making informed decisions regarding sustainability and resource management.
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