Multilevel meta-analysis of stated preference values of marine ecosystem services in China

Abstract

On the basis of a review of studies on the stated preference valuation of China’s marine ecosystem services conducted between 1996 and 2021, this paper presents a meta-analysis of the estimates of marine ecosystem service benefits by using a multilevel modeling approach. The results indicate that a range of factors influence the estimated economic values of China’s marine ecosystem services, including ecosystem area, ecosystem type, respondent identity, regional gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, ecosystem services being valued, valuation method, and hypothetical scenario being employed. Additionally, the meta-regression results indicate that the willingness to pay for marine ecosystem services in China depends largely on people’s perception of the importance of an ecosystem service. Such a perception is influenced by national policies, educational attainment, and the degree to which the service is linked to people’s lives. This situation is evidenced by the high willingness of people to pay for coastal wetlands and recreational services. People were also found to be most willing to pay for conservation scenarios and least willing to pay for environmental compensation scenarios. These findings contribute to the research on the valuation of marine ecosystem services in China and to the incorporation of research results into ecosystem-based management decisions by clarifying the effects of different factors on valuation estimates.