Ecosystem services in new Zealand agro-ecosystems: A literature review

Abstract

In New Zealand (NZ), literatures on ecosystem services in agro-ecosystems has expanded in recent years as the impact of agriculture on the provision of services to meet public and private demand for ecosystem services are increasingly recognised. We review the NZ literature and analyze the scope of an ecosystem services approach in agro-ecosystems through the lens of four ecosystem service frameworks. Most of the literature is concerned with assessing the benefits that could be gained by changing land management practices. Some research assessed values of ecosystem services to the NZ public. Trade-offs in land-use decisions are highlighted. However, critical gaps in the literature could suggest the impediment of integration of the ecosystem concept into decision-making. The full range of ecosystem services, benefits, and beneficiaries had not been covered, and the scope of research is patchy, i.e. limited in spatial and temporal scale. In addition, there is a need to broaden the scope of research to include social and cultural aspects, and link the supply and demand for ecosystem services. Finally, research on the effectiveness of institutions that use an ecosystem services approach could enable better-informed decisions about trade-offs, including all the costs and benefits, across and between multiple scales.