Abstract
ContextSpatial conservation prioritization (SCP) concerns, for example, identification of spatial priorities for biodiversity conservation or for impact avoidance in economic development. Software useable for SCP include Marxan, C-Plan and Zonation. SCP is often based on data about the distributions of biodiversity features (e.g., species, habitats), costs, threats, and/or ecosystem services (ES).Objectives and methodsAt simplest ES can be entered into a SCP analysis as independent supply maps, but this is not very satisfactory because connectivity requirements and consequent ideal spatial priority patterns may vary between ES. Therefore, we examine different ES and their connectivity requirements at the conceptual level.ResultsWe find that the ideal spatial priority pattern for ES may differ in terms of: local supply area size and regional network requirements for the maintenance of ES provision, for flow between provision and demand, and with respect to the degree of dispersion that is needed for ES provision and access across different administrative regions. We then identify existing technical options in the Zonation software for dealing with such connectivity requirements of ES in SCP.ConclusionsThis work helps users of SCP to improve how ES are accounted for in analysis together with biodiversity and other considerations.
Highlights
Spatial conservation prioritization (SCP) concerns identification of spatial priorities for expansion of conservation area networks, identification of areas for impact avoidance in economic development, allocation of habitat restoration and biodiversity offsetting, and other forms of spatial conservation resource allocation
We identify existing technical options in the Zonation software for dealing with such connectivity requirements of ecosystem services (ES) in SCP
ES can be entered into SCP analysis as independent supply maps, but this is not very satisfactory because ideal spatial patterns may be different for different ES, or even for the same ES in different locations
Summary
Spatial conservation prioritization (SCP) concerns identification of spatial priorities for expansion of conservation area networks, identification of areas for impact avoidance in economic development, allocation of habitat restoration and biodiversity offsetting, and other forms of spatial conservation resource allocation. Spatial prioritization without any explicit connectivity effects can provide useful summary information about distribution patterns of ecosystem services.
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