Value Of Ecosystem Services Research Articles

Future land use/land cover and its impacts on ecosystem services: case of Aydın, Turkey

AbstractThis paper aims to reveal the impacts of land use/land cover changes on ecosystem services and to guide sustainable development decisions by modelling the future land use/land cover pattern and its ecosystem services in the case of Aydın province, Turkey. In this context, the study examined land use/land cover changes in Aydın province, predicted future land use/land cover patterns with three scenarios (natural development, ecosystem service-based development, and economy-based development) using the PLUS model, and determined the impact of land use/land cover changes on InVEST generated carbon storage and habitat quality ecosystem services. The key drivers of land use/land cover change in Aydın were agricultural expansion, the transformation of different vegetation types into each other, and, even on a small scale, urbanization. The study revealed that changes in the spatial pattern of land use/land cover types, together with the effect of changing vegetation patterns, have a significant impact on carbon storage and habitat quality. While reductions in shrubland and forests were detrimental, transformations from openspaces to them, particularly at their boundaries, enhanced the capacity of carbon storage and habitat quality. On the other hand, even though the scenarios of ecosystem service-based development and economy-based development were based on the economic value of ecosystem services and the value of products/services obtained from different land use/land cover types, respectively, the ecosystem service-based development scenario was characterized by more effective land use/land cover management in terms of maximizing both the economic and ecological benefits. This highlights the significance and emerging need for prioritizing ecological considerations in urban planning.

Projecting LUCC dynamics and ecosystem services in an emerging urban agglomeration under SSP-RCP scenarios and their management implications

Improving our knowledge of future dynamics of ecosystem services (ESs) in the face of climate change and human activities provides a crucial foundation to navigate complex environmental challenges, which are essential to attaining sustainable development particularly in urban regions. However, an existing dearth persists in thoroughly forecasting the intricate interplay of trade-offs and synergies, as well as ecosystem services bundling under distinct future scenarios. This study adopts an integrated research framework to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of ESs in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Urban Agglomeration (CZTUA) under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathway and Representative Concentration Pathway (SSP-RCP) scenarios (i.e., SSP126, SSP245 and SSP585). Our future scenarios suggest that the core urban area of CZTUA is projected to expand at the cost of forests and croplands by 2050. Furthermore, human-induced urbanization, particularly the high-intensity LUCC along the Xiangjiang river, significantly impacts ESs, resulting in lower ESs values. The trade-off effects between ESs are primarily observed between WY (water yield) and other ESs. Ecosystem service bundles (ESB) previously dominated by WY have significantly transitioned to CS (carbon storage)-HQ (habitat quality) bundle, especially in the urban core of CZTUA, which serves as an early warning of potential challenges related to water resources. Our study utilizes the latest climate and land use change predictions to evaluate ecosystems in urban agglomerations, and adopts a layered zoning strategy based on ESs, which provides decision-makers with reproducible tools to explore ecosystem changes.

The Spatiotemporal Correlation between Human Activity Intensity and the Evolution of Ecosystem Service Value in the Songnen Plain, China

For the main grain-producing areas worldwide that balance multi-tasks of grain production, ecological protection, and economic development, quantitatively revealing the correlation between human activity intensity (HAI) and ecosystem service value (ESV) is conducive to formulating adapted ecological protection policies and promoting the coordinated development of the regional economy, society, and ecosystem. In this paper, we took the Songnen Plain of China as an example, employed a modified Equivalent Factor Method (integrating socio-economic data, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and land use data), and the HAI Assessment Model (based on the data of land use, night-time light, and population spatial distribution) to measure the ESV and HAI in the Songnen Plain of China for the years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. We further applied the standard deviational ellipse method, the coupled coordination degree model, and the bivariate spatial autocorrelation models to reveal the spatiotemporal dynamics and correlation characteristics of ESV and HAI. The results showed the following: (1) Temporally, the ESV declined from 950.96 billion yuan in 1990 to 836.31 billion yuan in 2015, and then increased to 864.60 billion yuan in 2020, with the total loss attributed to the significant decline in the ESV of the natural ecosystem. Spatially, the ESV in the western and northeastern regions was relatively high, with a significant increase in the northeast. (2) HAI showed an upward trend from 1990 to 2020, while the high HAI levels gradually shrank after reaching the peak in 2000. Low HAI levels were mainly distributed in the northeast and southwest, aligning with the ecological space, while high HAI levels were distributed in the middle and southeast. (3) The interaction between ESV and HAI was marked by a negative correlation, transitioning from conflict to coordination. The spatial pattern of HAI and ESV showed H (HAI)-L (ESV) and L-H clustering, with H-H and L-L scattered distributions. This study contributes to providing a framework, methods, and suggestions for the sustainable planning and utilization of land and ecological protection in order to offer scientific references for the Songnen Plain, other major grain-producing areas, and related studies.

Evaluation and Prediction of Ecosystem Services Value in Urban Agglomerations Using Land Use/Cover Change Analysis: Case Study of Wuhan in China

The evaluation of ecosystem service value (ESV) is crucial for decision making in regional sustainable development. The close relationship between ecosystem services and land use/cover change (LUCC) is well acknowledged. However, the impact of the mutual transformation among different land use types on the temporal and spatial differences in the ESV is still unclear. To fulfill this gap, this study evaluates the ESV in the Wuhan Urban Agglomerations based on LUCC, taking the spatiotemporal characteristics into consideration. The results show that (1) The land use structure in the Wuhan Urban Agglomerations has undergone great changes from 2012 to 2021, and the area of cultivated land converted to forest land is the largest, which may be related to policies such as returning farmland to forests. (2) The total amount of ESV shows a downward trend, and the spatial distribution of ESV is “low in the west and high in the central and eastern regions”, which may be related to the natural factors in study area. (3) The spatial distribution of ESV in the study area will remain unchanged in the future. However, the transformation among land use types may exacerbate the reduction in the total ESV, which will have an adverse impact on the ecological environment and sustainable development of the region. This study initiates a more comprehensive framework to better reflect the real scenario of ESV, which will hopefully provide a reference for regional sustainable development.

Quantification of Ecosystem Services of the Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, India

The present study was an attempt to quantify the direct as well as indirect ecosystem services from forest ecosystems in the Melghat area, which were undervalued in economic terms as compared to other developmental projects. The valuation of growing stock in the Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) was estimated to be IRs 80221 crores (equal to 9600 million US $). While the carbon sequestration potential of the system was estimated to be IRs 9291 crores, the value of non-timber forest products (NTFP), a part of the provisioning service, was IRs 3.92 crore. The Forest land itself is valued at IRs 66874 crores using the current land costs in the region for non-forest uses. Recreation benefits are estimated to be IRs 30.94 crores which is more than the user fee collections at entry points. The contribution value of biodiversity and other ecosystem services for the entire Melghat landscape was IRs 2156 crore. Timber and carbon sequestration loss due to land distributed under forest rights was IRs 447.23 crore, while gains from agricultural use of that land by farmers was merely IRs 7.07 crore. Thus, the land conversion resulted in 63 times higher loss in the total ecosystem services than the gains from the subsistence-level farming practice for provisioning service alone. The total economic value of the Melghat landscape was estimated at IRs 1,69,853 crore, equalling to IRs 57.20 lakh per ha. The Net Present Value (NPV) of IRs 7.5 lakh per ha for protected areas such as the MTR prescribed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India is much lower than the estimated value, emphasizing the need to revise NPV using appropriate valuation methodology.

Assessing the Relative and Combined Effect of Climate and Land Use on Water-Related Ecosystem Services in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China

The ecosystem service (ES) is essential for residents’ health and well-being. The ecosystem service value (ESV) is one of the measures to scientifically quantify the wealth of ESs. However, climate and human activities intensely affect the sustainability of ESs. Therefore, knowing the relative and combined effects of climate and human activities on ESs and ESV can be crucial. This study selects the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as the study area to detect how climate and human activities affected the ES and ESV changes during 2001–2020, including net primary productivity, water yield, soil retention, water purification, and integrated ESV. The results show that the southern YREB has relatively higher ESs than the northern YREB, except for the NDR-P, which is mainly located in the urban agglomeration area. The general ranking for the ESV of different provinces in the YREB is sequenced from higher to lower as Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu, Chongqing, and Shanghai. Specifically, the ESV of Sichuan is the highest at about 972 billion yuan (133.57 billion USD), while the lowest ESV has been discovered in Shanghai at approximately 0.25 billion yuan (0.03 billion USD). It can be noticed that the regions where climate is the major influencing factor for ESs are concentrated upstream of the YREB, and human activities mainly influence ESs in highly urbanized areas. Furthermore, climate and human activities account for the highest proportion (86%) of synergistic effects for ESV in Yunnan. In contrast, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai accounted for the lowest proportions, at 18%, 26%, and 31%, respectively. This study may provide crucial insights into how ESs and ESV in the YREB have changed during the study period to inform policymakers, drawing more attention to the inhibitory and synergistic effects arising from the interaction between climate and human activities, to make more reliable decisions on adapting to climate crises in the future.

Quantifying habitat and biodiversity services and hotspots of Indian forests: A GIS-Based assessment

The present study attempted to quantify and value of supporting services of India's forest ecosystem. The supporting services comprises by habitat and biodiversity services across India's sixteen forest types was estimated using data for various factors through Remote Sensing and secondary sources as per the proposed model. Indicators were combined using an Analytical Hierarchical Process, and various class of each service was also estimated using the equal interval method in QGIS. Hotspot analysis was used to identify key areas for forest conservation. The results suggest that littoral and swamp forest had maximum habitat services and tropical semi-evergreen forest had maximum biodiversity service and tropical wet evergreen forest had maximum supporting services. Out of total forest of country, 11.52%, 17.48% and 10.34% forest area was having high value for habitat, biodiversity and supporting service, respectively. Hotspot analysis revealed that 22.93%, 23.61% and 26.44% Indian forest had high habitat, biodiversity and supporting service, respectively. The annual per hectare economic value using Benefit Transfer method for habitat, biodiversity and supporting services of forests was US$ 4330.71, US$ 5987.38 and US$ 10,624.23, respectively. The annual economic value of habitat, biodiversity and supporting services from Indian forests was US$ 303,506.09 million, US$ 419,609.45 million and US$ 744,570.85 million, respectively. In totality, tropical dry deciduous forest, tropical moist deciduous and tropical semi-deciduous forest had high economic value for supporting service. Monetary valuation of forest ecosystem services assists to determine the net present value and costs for conservation interventions. Biodiversity hotspots as the Western Ghats, Indo-Burma region, and Eastern Himalayas offer high ecosystem service and thus attach prime importance for conservation, while the Western Himalayas, with lower ecosystem service, requires customized ecosystem management strategies.

Analyzing the impacts of watershed management interventions and scenarios on soil erosion reduction using InVEST model in Yezat watershed, North West Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Land degradation is a serious problem for Ethiopia's productive capacity for land resources. To reverse these environmental dynamics, slow down soil degradation, and raise smallholder farmers’ agricultural yields, watershed management interventions have been implemented in Ethiopia since the 1980s. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the effects of watershed management interventions on soil erosion reduction by using the InVEST model in the Yezat watershed, north-west Ethiopia. The modified ecosystem services valuation model (InVEST) was employed to evaluate soil loss reduction in response to watershed management interventions. Different watershed management intervention scenarios (baseline scenarios, afforestation scenarios, soil/stone bund scenarios, and integrated scenarios) were also applied to evaluate the effectiveness of watershed management interventions on soil loss reduction. The result of the study indicated that a high amount of mean annual soil loss (111 tons ha− 1 year−1) was observed in 2000 in the study area due to the expansion of cultivated land and built-up area at the expense of forest, shrubland, and grassland. However, the mean annual soil loss decreased from 111 tons per year in 2000 to 79 tons per year in 2021 in the study area due to different watershed management interventions. Additionally, at the baseline scenario, the estimated mean annual soil loss of the watershed was 111 tons ha-1 yr-1. Conversely, it was reduced to 49.3 ton ha-1 yr-1 in the reforestation scenario, 16.49 ton ha-1 yr-1 in the soil bund scenario, and 8.26 ton ha-1 yr-1 in the integrated scenario. The watershed covered by the very severe soil erosion severity class was reduced in all watershed management intervention scenarios. Among others, the highest soil erosion reduction was observed in the integrated (bio-physical) scenarios of watershed management interventions. Therefore, watershed management interventions and scenarios were the best mechanisms for soil loss reduction.

Linkages between digital economy and ecosystem services: Revealing the spatiotemporal relationship based on U-shaped effect

This study employs geographically and temporally weighted regression and spatial Durbin models to investigate the impact of digital economy index (DEI) on ecosystem service value (ESV). Estimates of DEI are obtained from night-time light data, and ESV is assessed by the equivalent factor method. The findings indicate significant spatial agglomeration of both DEI and ESV in China. Overall, the impact of DEI on ESV exhibits a U-shaped effect: initially restrained, then promoted. Moreover, the analysis detects spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the DEI-ESV interaction. Spatially, higher DEI positively impacts lower ESV in eastern China, while lower DEI negatively impacts higher ESV in western China. Temporally, most cities in eastern China, unlike those in western China, surpassed the U-shaped curve's inflection point during the study period. Furthermore, the number of cities exceeding the inflection point has increased, amplifying the dual positive and negative impacts of DEI on ESV over time. By revealing the multi-staged and geographically diverse impact of DEI on ESV, this study helps to address the environmental sustainability challenges posed by the rapid advancement of digital technologies.

Response and prediction of ecosystem service values to land use change resulting from underground coal mining in high groundwater table areas: A case study of Jining City, China

Ecosystem services are crucial for human survival and development. Changes in land use can lead to alterations in ecosystem service functions. However, the mechanism of how land use changes resulting from underground coal mining affect ecosystem service remains unclear, especially in areas with high groundwater levels. To address this issue, we studied the spatiotemporal in land use change in Jining City from 2000 to 2020 and employed Markov-PIM (probability integration method)-PLUS (Patch-generate Land Use Simulation) model to simulate land use change and ecosystem service values (ESV) in Jining City by 2030 under four different scenarios. The results indicate that from 2000 to 2020, the area of ecological space increased by 169.99 km2, and the area of living space expanded by 775.28 km2, while the area of production space decreased by 945.27 km2, conversely. These changes led to a 3 million yuan increase in total ESV. From 2020 to 2030, there was a marked decline in ESV under both natural development (ND) and living space preference (LSP) scenarios, with decreases of 0.59 billion yuan and 1.38 billion yuan, respectively. In contrast, in production space preference (PSP) and ecological space preference (ESP) scenarios, ESV increase by 0.22 billion yuan and 0.34 billion yuan. The ESP scenario is an effective strategy to strengthen environmental protection, significantly improve the ESV level of Jining City and meet the development goals of Jining City. Finally, the study concludes with recommendations like comprehensive management, industrial upgrading, and collaborative development for optimizing Jining City's future land use and enhance ESV for urban development.

New Perspective to Evaluate the Carbon Offsetting by Urban Blue-Green Infrastructure: Direct Carbon Sequestration and Indirect Carbon Reduction.

Urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI) offers a multitude of ecological advantages to residents, thereby playing a pivotal role in fortifying urban resilience and fostering the development of climate-resilient cities. Nonetheless, current research falls short of a comprehensive analysis of BGI's overall potential for carbon reduction and its indirect carbon reduction impact. To fill this research gap, we utilized the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and trade-offs model and remote sensing estimation algorithm to quantify the direct carbon sequestration and resultant indirect carbon reduction facilitated by the BGI within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) (China). To identify the regions that made noteworthy contributions to carbon offsets and outliers, spatial autocorrelation analysis was also employed. The findings of this study reveal that in 2019, the BGI within the study area contributed an overall carbon offset of 1.5 × 108 t·C/yr, of which 3.5 × 107 and 11.0 × 107 t·C/yr were the result of direct carbon sequestration and indirect carbon reduction, respectively. The GBA's total CO2 emissions were 1.1 × 108 t in 2019. While the direct carbon sequestration offset 32.0% of carbon emissions, the indirect carbon reduction mitigated 49.9% of potential carbon emissions. These results highlight the critical importance of evaluating BGI's indirect contribution to carbon reduction. The findings of this study provide a valuable reference for shaping management policies that prioritize the protection and restoration of specific areas, thereby facilitating the harmonized development of carbon offset capabilities within urban agglomerations.

Achieving higher eco-efficiency for three staple food crops with ecosystem services based on regional heterogeneity in China

Farmland ecosystems can provide both economic products and ecosystem services that are important in maintaining food security and ecological safety. However, the ecological functions of farmland ecosystems have not been adequately evaluated in China, especially from the perspective of ecological efficiency for three staple food crops (wheat, maize and rice). Moreover, the contribution of ecosystem services value (ESV) to agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE), and the factors that influence AEE for the three staple food crops in different regions are still unclear. In this study, data envelopment analysis (DEA) was applied to calculate the AEE using group-frontier and meta-frontier methods based on regional heterogeneity. We measured AEE for wheat, maize and rice production with and without ESV and compared the gap between ecological inefficiency resulting from management inefficiency and technology gap inefficiency. The research results showed that, first, the involvement of ESV could effectively promote AEE. In particular, water conservation, soil conservation and the nutrient cycle contributed to the promotion of eco-efficiency. The mean ΔAEE (the difference in AEE with or without ESV) of wheat, maize and rice increased by 15 %, 10 % and 13 % with group-frontier and by 20 %, 10 % and 11 % with meta-frontier, respectively. Second, the improvement of AEE was higher in ecologically sensitive areas than that in other areas, especially for wheat and rice. Third, although the involvement of ESV reduced ecological inefficiency, specifically for management inefficiency, its contribution differed significantly across regions. We provide suggestions on improving AEE and reducing inter-regional differences in China. In brief, these findings suggest that, except for grain yields, ecosystem services need to be recognized in the production of three staple food crops, especially in ecologically sensitive areas. This is helpful for crop planning and planting division in terms of sustainable development.

Multi-Scenario Simulation of Land Use Change and Ecosystem Service Value Based on the Markov–FLUS Model in Ezhou City, China

Changes in land use patterns, types, and intensities significantly impact ecosystem services. This study follows the time series logic from history to the expected future to investigate the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use changes in Ezhou and their potential impacts on the ecosystem services value (ESV). The results show that the Markov–FLUS model has strong applicability in predicting the spatial pattern of land use, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.9433 and a FoM value of 0.1080. Between 2000 and 2020, construction land expanded continuously, while water area remained relatively stable, and other land types experienced varying degrees of contraction. Notably, the area of construction land expanded significantly compared to 2000, and it expanded by 70.99% in 2020. Moreover, the watershed area expanded by 9.30% from 2000 to 2010, but there was very little change in the following 10 years. Under the three scenarios, significant differences in land use changes were observed in Ezhou City, driven by human activities, particularly the strong expansion of construction land. In the inertial development scenario, construction land expanded to 313.39 km2 by 2030, representing a 38.30% increase from 2020. Conversely, under the farmland protection scenario, construction land increased to 237.66 km2, a 4.89% rise from 2020. However, in the ecological priority development scenario, the construction land area expanded to 253.59 km2, a 10.13% increase from 2020. Compared to 2020, the ESV losses in the inertia development and farmland protection scenarios were USD 4497.71 and USD 1072.23, respectively, by 2030. Conversely, the ESV under the ecological protection scenario increased by USD 2749.09, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing ecological protection in Ezhou City’s development. This study may provide new clues for the formulation of regional strategies for sustainable land use and ecosystem restoration.

Progress in Ecosystem Services Research

The definition of ecosystem services has evolved and developed as the purpose and target audience of research has changed. The earliest analogue of 'ecosystem services', the concept of 'environmental service functions', appeared in the 1970 SCEP report published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The concept of "ecosystem services" was formally introduced by Ehrlich in 1981, when Daily proposed that ecosystem services are "the conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems and their constituent species satisfy and sustain human life activities", which was the first definition of ecosystem services. Daily proposed that ecosystem services are "natural ecosystems and their constituent species that satisfy and sustain human life activities through ecosystem conditions and processes", which was the first time the concept of "ecosystem services" was defined, and further elaborated on the difference between ecosystem service products and ecosystem goods. However, Costanza added ecosystem products to the definition of ecosystem services, and Daily and Costanza launched studies on the valuation of ecosystem services, which accelerated the progress of ecosystem services research. At the beginning of the 21st century, the MA report defined the concept of "ecosystem services" as "the benefits that humans derive from ecosystems", which was recognised by the majority of the population and widely used, and it is also the most widely accepted definition up to the present time, which has ushered in the development of research on ecosystem services. This definition was recognised and widely used by most people, and is the most widely accepted definition to date, leading to a boom in research on ecosystem services.

A method for evaluating the effects of gentle remediation options (GRO) on soil health: Demonstration at a DDX-contaminated tree nursery in Sweden

Healthy soils provide valuable ecosystem services (ES), but soil contamination can inhibit essential soil functions (SF) and pose risks to human health and the environment. A key advantage of using gentle remediation options (GRO) is the potential for multifunctionality: to both manage risks and improve soil functionality. In this study, an accessible, scientific method for soil health assessment directed towards practitioners and decision-makers in contaminated land management was developed and demonstrated for a field experiment at a DDX-contaminated tree nursery site in Sweden to evaluate the relative effects of GRO on soil health (i.e., the ‘current capacity’ to provide ES). For the set of relevant soil quality indicators (SQI) selected using a simplified logical sieve, GRO treatment was observed to have highly significant effects on many SQI according to statistical analysis due to the strong influence of biochar amendment on the sandy soil and positive effects of nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants. The SQI were grouped within five SF and the relative effects on soil health were evaluated compared to a reference state (experimental control) by calculating quantitative treated-SF indices. Multiple GRO treatments are shown to have statistically significant positive effects on many SF, including pollutant attenuation and degradation, water cycling and storage, nutrient cycling and provisioning, and soil structure and maintenance. The SF were in turn linked to soil-based ES to calculate treated-ES indices and an overall soil health index (SHI), which can provide simplified yet valuable information to decision-makers regarding the effectiveness of GRO. The experimental GRO treatment of the legume mix with biochar amendment and grass mix with biochar amendment are shown to result in statistically significant improvements to soil health, with overall SHI values of 141 % and 128 %, respectively, compared to the reference state of the grass mix without biochar (set to 100 %).

Coupled and Coordinated Relationship between Land-Use Cover Change and Ecosystem Services Value in Horqin Sandy Land

Coupled and Coordinated Relationship between Land-Use Cover Change and Ecosystem Services Value in Horqin Sandy Land

Learnings from the past to inform future ecosystem restoration projects: an Australian perspective

Coastal and marine ecosystems provide valuable ecosystem services and functions. Unfortunately, these habitats have experienced increasing anthropogenic and climate‐related pressures, leading to significant degradation and loss not only in Australia but also globally. Hence, the urgency for coastal and marine ecosystem restoration has never been more pronounced. We present a synthesis of 151 projects on coastal and marine restoration in Australia spanning mangrove, seagrass, tidal marsh, kelp, shellfish reef, and coral ecosystems. Our findings reveal increased restoration efforts over the past 30 years, with an increased focus on coral and shellfish reef habitats. Across Australia, most efforts were in southeastern Australia, with a noticeable gap in the Northern Territory. Restoration strategies focused on enhancing propagule availability (74%) and substrate availability (42%), with additional efforts toward implementing top–down (7%) and bottom–up (4%) controls to boost natural recruitment. Projects were carried out with the participation mostly of research universities (45%), followed by state government entities (42%), philanthropy (34%), and private companies (16%). Funding came primarily from governmental sources, such as state government entities (50%), the commonwealth (44%), and philanthropy (19%). Restoration outcomes are centered on monitoring growth and survival resulting from both single and multiple restoration actions. Our findings highlight key factors influencing natural recruitment across habitat types, where sedimentation and species reproductive biology play a critical role. While acknowledging that our results represent only a small fraction of Australia's coastal and marine restoration efforts, our intent is to contribute insights that can support large‐scale restoration actions not only in Australia but also on a global scale.

Benthic habitat mapping for estimating seagrass carbon stock across Takabonerate Islands, Indonesia

Data on benthic habitat cover are essential for monitoring and managing coastal areas, providing valuable ecosystem services for local communities. Moreover, seagrass extent is crucial for estimating carbon stock using Tier-1 calculations. On the other side, remote sensing technology has proven effective in mapping benthic habitat cover, including seagrass, over large local areas. Therefore, this research aims to map specific benthic habitats in a local area to obtain high-accuracy estimates of seagrass extent for carbon stock estimation. The study was conducted in the Takabonerate Islands, Indonesia, using Sentinel-2A imagery. The study involved field data processing, which enabled the mapping of eight benthic habitat classes using Sentinel-2A images, along with the steps for Sentinel-2A image processing for benthic habitat mapping. The benthic habitat map was produced following image correction steps, including atmospheric, sunglint, and water column corrections, followed by image classification using a Neural Net Classifier (NNC). Seagrass carbon stock estimation was performed using the Tier-1 equation from IPCC 2013. The study revealed a total benthic habitat area of 57,538.04 ha, with a seagrass area of 3127.42 ha for carbon stock estimation. The potential seagrass carbon stock in the study area was estimated to range from 337.76 GgC/ha to 31.27 GgC/ha using the Tier-1 equation. The overall accuracy of the benthic habitat map was 80.5 %, calculated using a confusion matrix table. The spatial information from this study can be used by local coastal managers and governments for baseline and monitoring purposes. The key interpretations from this study provide valuable findings that can be adapted and improved for future local mapping purposes.

Oyster Restoration to Recover Ecosystem Services.

Oyster reef loss represents one of the most dramatic declines of a foundation species worldwide. Oysters provide valuable ecosystem services (ES), including habitat provisioning, water filtration, and shoreline protection. Since the 1990s, a global community of science and practice has organized around oyster restoration with the goal of restoring these valuable services. We highlight ES-based approaches throughout the restoration process, consider applications of emerging technologies, and review knowledge gaps about the life histories and ES provisioning of underrepresented species. Climate change will increasingly affect oyster populations, and we assess how restoration practices can adapt to these changes. Considering ES throughout the restoration process supports adaptive management. For a rapidly growing restoration practice, we highlight the importance of early community engagement, long-term monitoring, and adapting actions to local conditions to achieve desired outcomes.

Responses of Ecosystem Services to Land Use/Cover Changes in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas: A Case Study of the Shandong Peninsula Urban Agglomeration

The rapid expansion of built-up land, a hallmark of accelerated urbanization, has emerged as a pivotal factor contributing to regional climate change and the degradation of ecosystem functions. The decline in ecosystem service value (ESV) has consequently garnered significant attention in global sustainable development research. The Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration is crucial for promoting the construction of the Yellow River Economic Belt in China, with its ecological status increasingly gaining prominence. This study investigated the ESV response to land use/cover change (LUCC) through the elasticity coefficient in order to analyze the degree of disturbance caused by land use activities on ecosystem functions in the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration. This analysis was based on the examination of LUCC characteristics and ESV from 1990 to 2020. The findings reveal that (1) the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration experienced a continuous increase in the proportion of built-up land from 1990 to 2020, alongside a highly complex transfer between different land use types, characterized by diverse transfer trajectories. The most prominent features were noted to be the rapid expansion of built-up land and the simultaneous decline in agricultural land. (2) The analysis of four landscape pattern indices, encompassing Shannon’s diversity index, indicates that the continuous development of urbanization has led to increased fragmentation in land use and decreased connectivity. However, obvious spatial distribution differences exist among different districts and counties. (3) The ESV was revised using the normalized difference vegetation index, revealing a slight decrease in the total ESV of the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration. However, significant differences were observed among districts and counties. The number of counties and districts exhibiting low and high ESVs continuously increased, whereas those with intermediate levels generally remained unchanged. (4) The analysis of the elasticity coefficient reveals that LUCC exerts a substantial disturbance and influence on ecosystem services, with the strongest disturbance ability occurring from 2000 to 2010. The elasticity coefficient exhibits obvious spatial heterogeneity across both the entire urban agglomeration and within individual cities. Notably, Qingdao and Jinan, the dual cores of the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration, exhibit markedly distinct characteristics. These disparities are closely related to their development foundations in 1990 and their evolution over the past 30 years. The ESV response to LUCC displays significant variation across different time periods and spatial locations. Consequently, it is imperative to formulate dynamic management policies on the basis of regional characteristics. Such policies aim to balance social and economic development while ensuring ecological protection, thereby promoting the social and economic advancement and ecological environment preservation of the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration.