Provision Of Environmental Services Research Articles

Hydrological Variability in the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Mexico: A Watershed-Scale Analysis Using Tree-Ring Records

The El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (CBR) stands as a vital forested region in eastern Mexico due to its high biodiversity in flora and fauna and provision of environmental services. This study established a network of 10 ring-width chronologies of different species within the CBR and adjacent watersheds. The objective was to analyze their climatic response and reconstruct the seasonal streamflow contribution of each sub-basin to the main stream, utilizing data from a gauge network of eight hydrological stations located at strategic locations of the CBR. With chronologies ranging from 116 to 564 years, most exhibited association with the accumulated streamflow between January and June. Based on the adjusted R2, Akaike Information Criteria, and Variance Inflation Factor, the stepwise regression procedure was selected among different statistical methods for developing the reconstruction model. In spite of differences in the seasonal reconstructed periods, all the species showed potential to develop hydrological reconstructions as indicated by their common response to streamflow variability, as occurred in the wet years of 1976, 1993, 2000, and 2008, and dry years of 1980, 1982, 1996, and 2011. It was found that the response of the chronologies to gauge records increased as a function of the chronologies’ interseries correlation, average mean sensitivity, and distance of the tree-ring series to the gauge station. Streamflow reconstructions at the sub-basin level allowed a better understanding of the hydroclimatic variability characterizing the CBR, but also suggested the need to increase the network of chronologies for some particular sub-basins lacking tree-ring series to improve the reconstructed models.

Nature interpretation in green space of Universitas Sumatera Utara

Universitas Sumatera Utara competes with various other campuses to win the title of the best Green Campus through the UI Green Metric ranking. Tree vegetation at USU is also an added value for the campus. The campus is a favorite location for people to visit and enjoy the environmental services. The interest of visitors who come is certainly an opportunity as well as a challenge for USU to continue maintaining and developing tree vegetation which is a provider of environmental services for the surrounding. Therefore, research on the potential nature interpretation activities in green space at USU needs to be done and studied further. This study used field observation techniques by visiting various locations. Field findings data are described descriptively and tabulatively. The green space of USU has various potential locations for nature interpretation and environmental education, such as; bird watching, rare vegetation species, fruit spots, sports, photography, wildlife behavior, and flowering periods of vegetation. The results are expected to be useful in the learning process about the environment for the academic community and visitors who come, efforts to maintain a microclimate, develop further research, and support efforts to mitigate global warming.

Comparing practice‐ and results‐based agri‐environmental schemes controlled by remote sensing: An application to olive groves in Spain

AbstractFarmers' preferences toward practice‐ and results‐based agri‐environmental schemes (AES) are analysed using a labelled choice experiment. The analysis focuses on schemes involving an innovative satellite‐based monitoring system, with different environmental objectives. Olive groves in southern Spain are used as a case study. Results show no statistically significant differences in farmers' willingness to accept (WTA) payment for participating in practice‐ versus results‐based AES when the scheme targets carbon sequestration. By contrast, farmers require a significantly higher WTA payment for results‐based AES when targeting biodiversity (using bird species as an indicator), mostly due to the uncertainties related to its provision and monitoring. WTA significantly increases with provision level and remote sensing monitoring, regardless of the type of scheme. Significant preference heterogeneity is observed, partly explained by farmers' attitudes toward risk and their beliefs about environmental service provision and monitoring capacity. The results suggest useful policy implications, including the potential of making use of joint provision of environmental services in the design of results‐based AES and accompanying them with uncertainty mitigating measures.

Precursors of circular economy practices

The study examined the precursors of circular practices among waste management firms in Ghana. Its objectives were to assess the internal financial environment and the external financial environment of the firms as the precursor of its circular economy practices The study used a cross-sectional design and a quantitative research method. Data was collected from the owners/managers of integrated waste management firms in the Environmental Service Providers Association of Ghana database. On that note, 524 firms participated in the survey. The data was collected using a closed-ended questionnaire consisting of a seven-point Likert-like scale. The findings show that the factors influencing the adoption of circular economy techniques by waste management companies in Ghana include the internal environment that is firm-level financial environment, financial readiness, and investment readiness. External factors such as country level financial environment and international level financial environment were not significant precursors. It is advised that companies in the circular economy, such as waste management companies, establish the enabling conditions for moving ahead with sustainable business practices.

Application of Agricultural Information Systems Development Kit for Multimodal Agricultural systems

Multifunctional and diverse agriculture has the potential to effectively address conflicting demands and requirements by concurrently boosting biodiversity, production, and provision of environmental services. Digitalized technology can assist in the creation and control of agricultural models and systems that are resource-efficient and adaptable to their environments. In order to demonstrate the potential of digital technology in promoting decision-making processes that prioritize diverse and environmentally sustainable farming practices, we present an analysis of Agricultural Information Systems Development Kit (AISDK). The AISDK was developed through a comprehensive literature review to identify the limitations of current tools. Additionally, in collaboration with stakeholders, we established the criteria for a decision-support tool that is based on knowledge. The findings of the review emphasize the ongoing challenges associated with the integration of multiple spatial, temporal, and sustainability dimensions, as well as the promotion of effective collaboration and communications among farmers and key stakeholders in the agriculture sector.

Quantifying the impacts of urbanization on urban green, evidences from Maga City, Lahore Pakistan

Globally, green spaces are considered as a fundamental part of biodiversity to balance the environment in an ecosystem particularly in urban areas. Contrary to this, urban green is declining in the least developing nations particularly due to rapid urbanization. This impact alter the condition of environmental services in term of non-provision and insufficient urban green spaces for the local population. This study takes Shahdara Town as an area of interest that is a congested urban area of Lahore Pakistan, and currently facing social injustice in terms of a dense urban area with few green spaces. The study uses Geographical Information Science for the identification of green spaces, calculation of their total area, and quantification of green cover extent by using NDVI, to comparing them with population to analyzed the environmental justice. To check the social perspective of the population regarding green areas and their importance among urban people, a comparison has been made with the presence of parks in the area, their association with living conditions and quality of life of locals. This social prospective was investigated by applying the Multiple Linear Regression Model (MLRM) by taking the availability of park/urban green in area as dependent variable and accessibility to parks, its total distance from a house, and frequency of visit as independent variables. The resultant analysis shows that according to international standards, per capita green spaces are less in this town, of Lahore. This imbalance provision of environmental services is a challenging task, for policymakers and a hurdle for urban sustainability. Finally, the outcomes of the research provide a documented base evidence and social analysis for environmental sustainability in terms of provisions of environmental services for the urban dwellers in the region.

Classification and distribution of functional groups of birds and mammals in Mexico.

There has been a recent exponential growth in the study of functional trait ecology. Nonetheless, the study of functional traits and functional groups has been limited for terrestrial vertebrates. We conducted a classification update of functional groups (FG) of birds and mammals in Mexico, and determined the distribution patterns of FG species richness in different ecosystems nationwide. We selected six functional traits (feeding habit, locomotion, feeding substrate and technique, activity period, seasonality, and body size) obtained for 987 and 496 species of birds and mammals, respectively. A cophenetic correlation analyses resulted in values of 0.82 for the bird species dendrogram, and 0.79 for the mammal species dendrogram showing that the structures adequately reflected the similarity between observations. We obtained 52 FG for birds, assembled into 9 broader groups based on their feeding habits (16 invertivores, 6 carnivores: 5 herbivores, 9 aquatic vertivore/invertivore, 5 granivores, 1 scavenger, 3 nectarivores, 4 frugivores, and 3 omnivores). We obtained 35 FG for mammals, assembled into 9 broader groups based on their feeding habits (4 granivores, 10 herbivores, 1 nectarivore, 4 frugivores, 8 invertivores, 3 omnivores, 2 aquatic vertivore/invertivore, 1 hematophagous, and 2 carnivores). Overall, the distribution of FG species richness for birds and mammals gradually increased from the Nearctic to the Neotropical region, following a typical latitudinal species richness pattern. Few FG of migratory birds, and FG of granivore and herbivore mammals showed more species in the Nearctic and in the transitional regions. Our study provides a baseline for identifying ecological functions of species of birds and mammals in different ecosystems in Mexico, and contributes to understand the relationship between species diversity, community structure and ecosystem functioning. Identifying spatial patterns of functional trait diversity is important as biodiversity loss has a negative impact on ecosystem functioning and provision of environmental services.

Crop-Livestock Integration Improves Physical Soil, Agronomic and Environmental Aspects in Soybean Cultivation.

Soybean is one of the most widely grown crops in the world and technologies are increasingly needed to increase productivity without impacting environmental degradation. In this context, the aim was to evaluate the action of forage plants of the genus Brachiaria sp. in crop-livestock integration on physical soil, agronomic and environmental aspects of soybean cultivation. The experiment was conducted in a subdivided plot design with seven integrated systems corresponding to the previous cultivation of Paiaguas palisadegrass, Xaraes palisadegrass and Ruziziensis grass in monocropping and intercropped with maize, as well as maize in monocropping. In the subplots, two grass management systems were evaluated: free growth and a grazing simulation cut. The bulk density and least limiting water range were assessed using soil samples and, after the pastures were desiccated when the soybean crop was planted, straw decomposition and plantability. A soil physics diagnosis by the bulk density and least limiting water range showed that the Paiaguas palisadegrass and Xaraes palisadegrass improved the soil environment due to biological soil loosening. The remaining mulch biomass did not affect soybean sowing and the adoption of Brachiaria sp. grass in the off-season, in addition to contributing to the provision of environmental services, and did not compromise grain productivity in succession.

Forestry feedbacks in Malezales’ degradation: Insights from past to plan future policy-driven forestry expansion over wetlands in Argentina

The degradation of wetlands is a worrying phenomenon, given its ecosystemic importance due to the provision of environmental services. In Argentina, the process of wetland degradation is fast and almost unknown due to the lack of control and monitoring. Malezales grasslands are wetland ecosystems, indeed poorly studied and endemic of Argentina's northeast. This study aimed to understand the impacts of policy-driven forestry expansion in wetlands, searching for tools and patterns to plan sustainable afforestation. Geographic information systems and remote sensing-based models were used to produce and analyze historical data of the forestry expansion and malezales degradation on inceptsols located in northeastern Corrientes, Argentina. The results showed that the region experienced extensive forestry expansion over the last 20 years. Pinus spp. plantations expanded on the most degraded malezales, which suggests some sustainability in the expansion process. However, the remaining malezales present current worrying levels of degradation. The intensification of the degradation process is imminent because livestock pressure on malezales has been intensified after the loss of areas due to the forestry increasing. We present a preliminary zoning of areas for conservation or forestry expansion in malezales. We found that 40.2% (47571 ha) of the current area of malezales could be used for forestry expansion, while 59.81% (about 70793 ha, 41.56% of the original ecosystem) is of priority for conservation or protection actions. A complete zoning of malezales is recommended, and policies to foment the correct management of malezales and forestry should therefore be implemented.

Payments for environmental services in Mangrove Forests: A review and recommendations

Mangrove forests play a vital role in climate change mitigation and the provision of environmental services. The aim of this study is to compile and analyze the most recent research on the willingness to pay for mangrove forest environmental services. The overview focuses on three key aspects: (i) general payment activities related to mangrove forest environmental services, (ii) the factors influencing participation in payment for these services, and (iii) the methods used to estimate the willingness to pay for such services. The analysis reveals that the majority of current studies are oriented toward conserving and promoting sustainable forest management. Additionally, psychological, behavioral, economic, and social factors all contribute to decisions regarding payment for environmental services. Furthermore, the contingent valuation method is commonly employed to estimate the willingness to pay for mangrove forest environmental services. Based on these overview findings, this study suggests several directions for future studies.

The upcoming European Soil Monitoring Law: An effective instrument for the protection of terrestrial ecosystems?

Soils are a precious resource consistently placed under several threats and urgently in need of protection within a regulatory framework at the European level. Soils are central to the provision of environmental services as well as human existence on earth. The need to protect soil has been identified by several recent European strategies and fortunately, a specific European regulation for soil protection is on the way-the European Soil Monitoring Law (formerly: Soil Health Law). However, efforts need to ensure that the upcoming Soil Monitoring Law closes gaps between existing regulations for chemicals and acknowledges current European strategies for environmental protection and sustainability. This brief communication started from a fruitful discussion among SETAC Global Soils Interest Group members on a recent public consultation on the newly proposed Soil Monitoring Law of the European Commission and highlights critical points focusing on the chemical pollution of soils. We emphasize urgent needs such as the essential definition of a "healthy state" of soils; the implementation of a suitable set of indicators and quality standards for the description of physical, chemical, and biological states of soils; the enforcement of the "polluter-pays" principle; and the establishment of a Europe-wide monitoring program. Results from monitoring need to be fed back into regulatory frameworks, including the regulation of chemicals. Guidance documents for the risk assessment of chemicals are outdated and need to be updated. Finally, actions need to be taken to foster healthy soils, stop biodiversity decline, and ensure the functioning of ecosystem services for future generations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:316-321. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Grassland management effect on ecosystem services in the livestock system in an oxisol from the Eastern high plains of Colombia

Colombia has a livestock population of approximately 28.2 million heads, of which 20.4% is found in the eastern high plains of the Orinoquia region. The extensive beef cattle system predominates, whose diet is based on native and introduced pastures of the genus Urochloa sp. which is deficiently managed, affecting productive and reproductive indexes due to the low adoption of technology. We evaluated potential sustainable intensive systems for cattle production, which contribute to maintaining the provision of environmental services. Between 2011 and 2015 in Agrosavia’s Research Center at Carimagua (4° 37'N and 71° 19' W) environmental and animal production variables were monitored in the following systems: a) degraded pastures recovered with tillage and fertilization, b) annual crop rotation with pastures, c) forest arrangements in strips, and d) forest remnants in perimeter areas. Productive and reproductive variables were determined in animals such as weight gain, calving interval, among others while the pasture/crop productive variables included yield and forage quality. Regarding soil ecosystem services (ES) the macrofauna biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, soil physical and chemical variables were considered. Estimation of indicators was carried out through principal components analysis for soil physical, chemical and macrofauna variables to extract the two main components that explain the variance. For climate regulation of ES, measurement of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage at a depth of 20 cm and the annual accumulated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were included. The systems that involved lime amendments and fertilizers increased the value in the year of application. Values in the water regulation indicator did not show significant differences among the options implemented during the years. Edaphic macrofauna biodiversity indicator value was sensitive to changes in management practices, with termites being the group with highest abundance. The indicator related to SOC was higher in the forest area compared to the pasture-crop system. Systems under the agroforestry schemes which integrated various practices such as managed and recovered pastures, crop-pasture rotation, patched areas and tree strips contributed to maintain or improve the ES, although each one of the strategies proposed provided improvement in at leas one ES.

Trees in planters – Growth, structure and ecosystem services of Platanus x hispanica and Tilia cordata and their reaction to soil drought

Urban environments are often characterized by extensive paved surfaces, exacerbating the urban heat island effect. At the same time, limited root space due to underground infrastructure poses a challenge for planting new trees in these areas. Trees in planters have emerged as popular design elements, offering innovative and sustainable greening solutions, particularly in urban environments with limited rooting space. However, growing conditions in planters may strongly impact tree growth and the provision of environmental ecosystem services (ES). In this 3-year study, we analyzed tree growth and ecosystem services (cooling by shading, CO2-fixation) of London plane (Platanus x hispanicaMünchh.) and small-leaved lime (Tilia cordataMill.) in four planting treatments: in-ground (G), planters in the ground (PG), non-insulated plastic planters (P), and insulated planters (PI). We also recorded soil temperature throughout the experiment and implemented soil drought conditions by reducing soil irrigation for half of the trees after one year. Our findings revealed higher thermal fluctuations in soil temperature within non-insulated plastic planters (P), reaching a maximum of 45 °C, surpassing the critical temperature threshold for plant growth (>38 °C). In contrast, insulated planters (PI) effectively mitigated soil temperatures, staying below 33.8 °C. When planted in the ground (G), P. x hispanica exhibited a significantly higher stem diameter increment (52–66%) compared to other planting treatments, aligning with the provision of ecosystem services. However, T. cordata trees showed a more moderate response to planting treatments in terms of growth and ecosystem service provision. Furthermore, the implementation of soil drought conditions resulted in a reduction of up to 34% in stem diameter increment for P. x hispanica and up to 25% for T. cordata. Our results underscore the necessity of tree species-specific knowledge about growth responses to different planting treatments for effective urban planning perspectives, as the provision of ecosystem services may be influenced differently.

The Potential of Bekasi “Eduforest” urban forest in cultural environmental services

Setu Subdistrict, Bekasi Regency is an area designated as urban forest development for providers of cultural environmental services. The purpose is to identify the community's perceptions, motivations, and preferences around the urban forest. Primary data collection by questionnaire to 31 people was determined purposively and analyzed quantitatively using a 4-point Likert Scale. Calculation of air temperature and humidity, thermal comfort, biomass with allometric methods, and CO2 absorption to support recommendations for attractions. The results show that community knowledge, benefits, and functions of urban forests are well known. People visit urban forests because they provide comfort and good air quality so that they are physically and mentally healthy. Community preferences are in the form of harvesting honey and developing urban forests together so that they can participate further. The potential of the urban forest in cultural environmental services can be developed through the provision of massive information and counseling, the development of tourist attractions in the form of forest healing, educational, and culinary tourism, also panoramic and landscape attractions. With the relative humidity of 60% and the thermal comfort of 25.2 oC, categorized as quite comfortable, the development of health therapy tourism can be considered.

Drivers of PES effectiveness: Some evidence from a quantitative meta-analysis

Payments for Environmental or Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes have become a popular tool to address environmental degradation and to promote sustainable management of ecosystem services. We use meta-regression analysis on a sample of 110 individual studies to investigate the determinants of the environmental effectiveness, defined as the probability to increase environmental services (ES) provision, of about 149 PES-schemes implemented worldwide. We find that increased effectiveness of PES schemes is strongly associated with periodical third-party monitoring, generic reference design and to a lesser extent results-based payments. We further study the determinants of PES additionality, defined as direct changes in ES provision induced by the PES scheme, compared to a baseline without PES, on a smaller sample of 41 studies from which we could obtain the necessary data. The results confirm the role of certain design variables, such as monitoring type, and raise a potential trade-off between enrolment and additionality in the assessment of PES effectiveness.

Assessment of the Water Footprint in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods from Developing Countries: Case Study Fátima (Gamarra, Colombia)

The increasing pressure on water resources due to population growth and high water consumption, especially in urban areas from tropical developing countries, has led to a rise in water stress. The sustainability analysis of the Total Water Footprint (WFtotal) and the Environmental Sustainability Index (SIblue) are holistic water management tools that allow for establishing pressures over water resources. This study assessed the WFtotal and their components (Blue, Green, and Gray) in the households of a low-income tropical neighborhood in Colombia with sanitation deficiencies. The activities associated with intra-household water use and higher environmental impact were identified, considering socioeconomic conditions and the water quality in the receiving water body, a wetland, through the application of surveys in a sample of households. The results showed that 86.7% of the WF was the WFgreen, followed by the WFgray (13.2%), and finally, the WFblue (0.2%). The high value of the WFgreen was related to food consumption patterns, which varied according to socioeconomic level. Likewise, the SIblue shows that the Baquero wetland presented scarcity scenarios regarding water quality and sedimentation, threatening the environmental service provision from this strategic ecosystem. Finally, tools such as the WFtotal and SIblue help identify strategies that could be implemented to reduce the pressure on the water resources and the water quality degradation in ecosystems relevant to global sustainability as wetlands.

PAYMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES: A FURTHER ANALYSIS TO A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE BRAZILIAN AND ARGENTINE PERSPECTIVES

Payment for Environmental Services (PES) can be defined as a monetary/non-monetary compensation mechanism (provider-receiver principle) by the supply of environmental services. This work identified and analysed Brazilian and Argentine PES’s case studies under a national perspective but also under an eventual and future River Plate watershed. Brazilian projects can be considered unique due their special conditions and the environmental goals of the various Federative Entities, mainly the case of Sao Paulo state. In Argentina, by contrast, and despite improvements in PES projects through county and federal government initiatives. Finally, it was suggested some aspects that could be utilized, such as “parameters”, to promote social, economic, and environmental standardization in conjunction with regional PES projects that require international cooperation.

ECONOMIC PROPOSAL FOR THE COMPENSATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOODS AND SERVICES IN THE MOORS AND FORESTS OF THE PROVINCE OF CHIMBORAZO.

This article presents an economic proposal for the compensation of environmental goods and services in the páramos and forests of the province of Chimborazo. It is based on the recognition of the importance of these ecosystems in the provision of various environmental services, such as climate regulation and biodiversity conservation, among others; the proposal prioritizes water resources since they are threatened by various human activities, such as deforestation, extraction of natural resources and livestock and agricultural activity. Therefore, there is a need to establish a compensation mechanism for owners and communities that contribute to the conservation of these ecosystems and promote their sustainable use. The proposal presented in this article is based on the implementation of a system of payments for environmental services, through which owners and communities that commit to conserve and properly manage moorland and forest ecosystems would be compensated monetarily. The financing of this payment system would come from various mechanisms, such as public funds, international cooperation resources and contributions from the private sector.
 The implementation of this economic proposal that aims to conserve 756 hectares through a payment of 596,836 through the implementation of projects would encourage the conservation of natural ecosystems in the province of Chimborazo and promote their sustainable use, generating benefits for both the environment and the people who depend on them.

Estado del arte sobre el pago por servicios ambientales en Paraguay: Dieciséis años de gestión

Due to the increasing academic interest in Payment for Environmental Services (PES) globally and the scattered state of PES in Paraguay, this paper presents a review of Paraguay to provide an overview of the current state of the subject at the national level and develop new theoretical and methodological approaches. The main objectives of this article are to compile the history of management and systematization of technical, academic, and scientific information on PES in Paraguay and contribute to defining economic valuation methods to enhance PES at the local and regional levels. This will serve as a strategy for designing environmental management models that guarantee the provision of long-term environmental services (16 years of analysis).The study design was qualitative, documentary, bibliographic and descriptive, based on the preparation and analysis of a database with 41 technical documents that facilitated the systematization and mapping of the information. Results show that 46% of the documents analyzed correspond to peer-reviewed literature, with five identified management periods. The most worked aspect was the economic valuation of environmental goods and services, especially those derived from the forest, where market-based valuation techniques based have been applied to a greater extent. As for the valuation of environmental damage, no publications or works were found during the studied period. Economic valuation studies were important for the current PES regulation process in Paraguay. that the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) mechanism in Paraguay has made significant progress over the past 16 years. However, both the market and policies related to PES are still not fully established due to critical issues identified, primarily the lack of regulation of other certification modalities that contribute to both sustainable production and conservation strategies. Hence, there is a need to address these challenges to ensure the effective implementation of PES in Paraguay. * The photo corresponds to Tuyuyús cuarteleros (Jabiru mycteria) in the flooding savannah of the Chaco. Photo: Karim Musalem

It is possible to conciliate policy-driven forestry expansion and “malezales” wetlands conservation in Argentina?

Malezales are hydrophytic grasslands restricted to the province of Corrientes, northeastern Argentina, being considered natural wetlands. Although poorly studied and practically lacking legal protection, which hinders their sustainable management, they are of great economic importance for extensive livestock and forestry industry, in addition to their provision of environmental services and biodiversity. In the last decades, this ecosystem has been the stage of a process of expansion of planted forests, stimulated by policies to encourage afforestation. The present study aimed to estimate and zoning forest expansion over malezales for the year 2050, as well as to evaluate the sustainability of the forest expansion process, considering its conflicts with priority areas for recovery and conservation of the ecosystem. We presented an innovative approach to improve the land use planning in regions with multiple policy-driven conflicts among land uses. Remote sensing tools and geographic information systems were used to map (QGIS), model, project and zone (IDRISI) forestry expansion and its conflicts with areas of environmental interest. The results showed that forest expansion policies caused an intense process of replacing malezales by planted forests, intensely affecting agriculture and livestock and areas of ecological interest. Predictive modeling suggests a worsening of this scenario in 2050. The proposed zoning after conflict identification shows that it is possible to conciliate recovery, conservation and sustainable afforestation of malezales, and serves as a subsidy for planning and decision making. However, its application must be conditioned to further discussions between the actors involved, considering their local and specific needs.