Sociocultural valuation of human impacts on marine ecosystems: the case of the National Marine Park of Alonissos in Greece

Abstract

ABSTRACT Conservation priority ecosystem components provide multiple ecosystem services. However, different human activities have placed significant pressures on marine ecosystems and the biodiversity they support, resulting in the degradation of the respective services. In the present study, we combine a choice experiment for the valuation of related ecosystem services with the Cumulative Impact Assessment method, to estimate the value of human impacts on three conservation priority habitats (the seagrass meadows, the gorgonian forests and the coralligenous reefs) of the National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades in Greece. The results indicate significant values and thus raise flags for more effective decisions related to environmental policies, such as the Programmes of Measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.