Abstract
Wetlands, tidal flats, seaweed beds, and coral reefs are valuable not only as habitats for many species, but also as places where people interact with the sea. Unfortunately, these areas have declined in recent years, so environmental improvement projects to conserve and restore them are being carried out across the world. In this study, we propose a method for quantifying ecosystem services, that is, useful for the proper maintenance and management of artificial tidal flats, a type of environmental improvement project. With this method, a conceptual model of the relationship between each service and related environmental factors in natural and social systems was created, and the relationships between services and environmental factors were clarified. The state of the environmental factors affecting each service was quantified, and the state of those factors was reflected in the evaluation value of the service. As a result, the method can identify which environmental factors need to be improved and if the goal is to increase the value of the targeted tidal flat. The method demonstrates an effective approach in environmental conservation for the restoration and preservation of coastal areas.
Highlights
Evaluating ecosystem services highlights the complexity of the relationship between society and ecosystems and clarifies how human decisions can affect the value of ecosystem services (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), 2005)
The service score of Umi Koen (UK) was low (5.3), its sustainability score was positive (+17%), so the present status can be maintained in the present environmental condition
To improve the service of TR, attention could be paid to predatory or competitive species (Fig. S3), and in Obitsu River tidal flat (OR), anoxic waters should be a point of attention
Summary
Evaluating ecosystem services highlights the complexity of the relationship between society and ecosystems and clarifies how human decisions can affect the value of ecosystem services (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), 2005). Such evaluations are needed to express any change in value in units (e.g., monetary) that enable the value of ecosystem services to be incorporated into public decision-making processes. Method for the quantitative evaluation of ecosystem services in coastal regions. Because many ecosystem services are produced and enjoyed in the absence of market transactions, their value is often underestimated and even ignored in daily decision-making (Pascual et al, 2010). Because many people enjoy the benefits of ecosystem services without even being aware of them, they are often unable to recognize the ecosystem services’ value and importance
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