Bridging Functions and Values: Advancing Wetland Ecosystem Service Assessment Through Use of a Service Capacity...

Area of Science:

• Wetland ecology
• Ecosystem services assessment
• Environmental policy

Background:

• Wetland services are often assumed to correlate with wetland function, but direct evaluation is lacking.
• Existing assessment approaches for wetland function do not adequately capture ecosystem service provision.
• Parsimonious, systematic, and repeatable assessment tools are needed for integrating wetland ecosystem services into regulatory programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a conceptual framework for a rapid wetland ecosystem service assessment tool.
• To define terms crucial for the systematic assessment of wetland ecosystem services.
• To introduce a service capacity index (SCI) as a complement to functional capacity indices (FCI).

Main Methods:

• Disentangling and defining terminology related to wetland science and policy.
• Developing a conceptual framework for a rapid wetland ecosystem service assessment tool.
• Incorporating the concept of 'opportunity' for beneficiaries into the service capacity index (SCI).

Main Results:

• A clear distinction between wetland function and wetland services is established.
• A novel service capacity index (SCI) is proposed, building upon functional capacity indices (FCI).
• The SCI framework is illustrated using Montana floodplain wetlands.

Conclusions:

• The proposed service capacity index (SCI) provides a systematic and rapid method for assessing wetland ecosystem services.
• The SCI is a suitable complement to FCI for meeting compensatory mitigation requirements.
• Effective wetland management and policy require robust tools for evaluating ecosystem services.