Terms Of Ecosystem Services Research Articles

Designing a framework for marine ecosystem assets accounting

Marine ecosystem assets accounting is a cornerstone of the marine resource assets management; however, it is facing an imperfect accounting system in the current situation. Based on the System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA) Experimental Ecosystem Accounting, this paper initially combines the key concepts, the objectives, the extent, and the tabular structure in measuring the ecosystem assets. Subsequently, with the marine ecosystems as the research object, this paper attempts to design the accounting tables for the marine ecosystems extent, marine ecosystems conditions and the expected service flows of the marine ecosystems in physical terms. Furthermore, the technical issues such as trade-off, pricing and the choice of asset discount rate on expected marine ecosystem services are explored. With the accounting of the expected marine ecosystem services in monetary terms, the calculation of the marine ecosystem assets using the net present value method is possible, and the marine ecosystem assets accounts can be compiled. Finally, this paper proposes the existing challenges and directs the need for further research in designing the framework of marine ecosystem assets accounts.

Assessing the cumulative impacts of geographically isolated wetlands on watershed hydrology using the SWAT model coupled with improved wetland modules

Despite recognizing the importance of wetlands in the Coastal Plain of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (CBW) in terms of ecosystem services, our understanding of wetland functions has mostly been limited to individual wetlands and overall catchment-scale wetland functions have rarely been investigated. This study is aimed at assessing the cumulative impacts of wetlands on watershed hydrology for an agricultural watershed within the Coastal Plain of the CBW using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). We employed two improved wetland modules for enhanced representation of physical processes and spatial distribution of riparian wetlands (RWs) and geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs). This study focused on GIWs as their hydrological impacts on watershed hydrology are poorly understood and GIWs are poorly protected. Multiple wetland scenarios were prepared by removing all or portions of the baseline GIW condition indicated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory geospatial dataset. We further compared the impacts of GIWs and RWs on downstream flow (i.e., streamflow at the watershed outlet). Our simulation results showed that GIWs strongly influenced downstream flow by altering water transport mechanisms in upstream areas. Loss of all GIWs reduced both water routed to GIWs and water infiltrated into the soil through the bottom of GIWs, leading to an increase in surface runoff of 9% and a decrease in groundwater flow of 7% in upstream areas. These changes resulted in increased variability of downstream flow in response to extreme flow conditions. GIW loss also induced an increase in month to month variability of downstream flow and a decrease in the baseflow contribution to streamflow. Loss of all GIWs was shown to cause a greater fluctuation of downstream flow than loss of all RWs for this study site, due to a greater total water storage capacity of GIWs. Our findings indicate that GIWs play a significant role in controlling hydrological processes in upstream areas and downstream flow and, therefore, protecting GIWs is important for enhanced hydrological resilience to extreme flow conditions in this region.

Characterising the rural-urban gradient through the participatory mapping of ecosystem services: insights for landscape planning

The application of the ecosystem services (ES) framework in landscape planning has become particularly relevant in rural-urban gradients since it allows for the integration of the complex interactions between ES supply and demand. This framework might be a powerful tool to inform landscape planning and decision-making intended to maintain the current and future flow of ES. In this study, we developed a process of participatory mapping of ES in a rural-urban gradient in southern Spain, which comprises the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the Granada valley and the city of Granada. First, we interviewed 21 key stakeholders from different professional sectors and gradient zones. These stakeholders prioritised nine ES in terms of their importance for local human well-being and their vulnerability to current drivers of change. Then, a workshop was organised in which 23 local actors shared their experience and knowledge regarding ES in the studied landscape. Sorted into five groups (composed of stakeholders with different profiles), the participants spatially mapped the most important supply and demand areas for the nine ES previously prioritised. The results show that the city of Granada has a very high demand for ES and a very low supply, while the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the valley of Granada appear to be very important ES supply areas. According to 95% of the stakeholders that attended the workshop, participatory mapping of ES is a very important (69%) or an important (26%) methodology to elicit the views and perceptions of the population, to identify the main conflicts and potential solutions for the territory and to visualise the high dependence of urban areas on the ES provided by adjacent rural areas. Our results also highlight the importance of incorporating the analysis of ES flows to inform landscape planning at the regional scale. Participatory mapping of ES can enhance decision-making regarding the maintenance of human well-being and the sustainability of social-ecological systems.

Land use change assessment in coastal mangrove forests of Iran utilizing satellite imagery and CA–Markov algorithms to monitor and predict future change

Mangrove forest stores large organic carbon stocks in a setting that is highly vulnerable to climate change and direct anthropogenic influences. As such there is a need to elucidate the causes and consequences of land use change on these ecosystems that have high value in terms of ecosystem services. We examine the areal pattern of land types in a coastal region located in southern Iran over a period of 14 years to predict future loss and gain in land types to the year 2025. We applied a CA–Markov model to simulate and predict mangrove forest change. Landsat satellite images from 2000 to 2014 were used to analyze the land cover changes between soil, open water and mangroves. Major changes during this period were observed in soil and water which could be attributed to rising sea level. Furthermore, the mangrove area in the more seaward position was converted to open water due to sea-level rise. A cellular automata model was then used to predict the land cover changes that would occur by the year 2025. Results demonstrated that approximately 21 ha of mangrove area will be converted to open water, while mangroves are projected to expand by approximately 28 ha in landward direction. These changes need to be delineated to better inform precise mitigation and adaptation measures.

Long-Term Analysis for Harvest Erosion Caused by Sugar Beet Production in Turkey

The sustainability of soil resources is under significant threat due to the accelerated anthropogenic pressures at the historical expansion of human population. In this context, soil erosion is defined as a limiting factor for human interests in terms of ecosystem services. As an erosion type, harvest erosion occurs by harvesting of the taproot and tuberous root plants such as sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), has begun to take attention in recent years. The objective of this study was to estimate soil loss due to harvest erosion and to economically analyze the transport of plant nutrients between 1999 and 2016 from sugar beet growing areas in Turkey. For this aim, the compiled data of 25 different sugar factories throughout Turkey were obtained from Türkşeker and soil loss estimations were performed and economically analyzed. According to the results, average soil loss rate was calculated as 3.41 Mg ha-1y-1 for the studied period (1999-2016). That means annually an average of 716983 Mg soil removed from the Türkşeker sugar beet production areas. This result indicated that harvest erosion represents only 0.9% of soil lost by water erosion in Turkey. But, if tolerable soil loss value considered as “1 Mg ha-1 y-1”, calculated soil loss values are above this critical value for all the factories. In addition, economic assessments of soil losses showed that costs are to be more than US $10 000 annually on the 60% of the factories due to removal of plant nutrients with harvest process. And, annually US $419 433 investment must be made to recover all these losses. Conclusively, harvest erosion as an ignored erosion type must be emphasized to the economic sustainability of natural resources in fragile ecosystems such as our country.

Natural capital must be defended: green growth as neoliberal biopolitics

ABSTRACTThis contribution addresses the growing global trend to promote ‘natural capital accounting’ (NCA) in support of environmental conservation. NCA seeks to harness the economic value of conserved nature to incentivize local resource users to forgo the opportunity costs of extractive activities. We suggest that this represents a form of neoliberal biopower/biopolitics seeking to defend life by demonstrating its ‘profitability’ and hence right to exist. While little finance actually reaches communities through this strategy, substantial funding still flows into the idea of ‘natural capital’ as the basis of improving rural livelihoods. Drawing on two cases in Southeast Asia, we show that NCA initiatives may compel some local people to value ecosystem services in financial terms, yet in most cases this perspective remains partial and fragmented in communities where such initiatives produce a range of unintended outcomes. When the envisioned environmental markets fail to develop and benefits remain largely intangible, NCA fails to meet the growing material aspirations of farmers while also offering little if any bulwark against their using forests more intensively and/or enrolling in lucrative extractive enterprise. We thus conclude that NCA in practice may become the antithesis of conservation by actually encouraging the resource extraction it intends to combat.

Quantifying Economic Value of Coastal Ecosystem Services: A Review

The complexity of quantifying ecosystem services in monetary terms has long been a challenging issue for economists and ecologists. Many case specific valuation studies have been carried out in various parts of the World. Yet, a coherent review on the valuation of coastal ecosystem services (CES), which systematically describes fundamental concepts, analyzes reported applications, and addresses the issue of climate change (CC) impacts on the monetary value of CES is still lacking. Here, we take a step towards addressing this knowledge gap by pursuing a coherent review that aims to provide policy makers and researchers in multidisciplinary teams with a summary of the state-of-the-art and a guideline on the process of economic valuation of CES and potential changes in these values due to CC impacts. The article highlights the main concepts of CES valuation studies and offers a systematic analysis of the best practices by analyzing two global scale and 30 selected local and regional case studies, in which different CES have been valued. Our analysis shows that coral reefs and mangroves are among the most frequently valued ecosystems, while sea-grass beds are the least considered ones. Currently, tourism and recreation services as well as storm protection are two of the most considered services representing higher estimated value than other CES. In terms of the valuation techniques used, avoided damage, replacement and substitute cost method as well as stated preference method are among the most commonly used valuation techniques. Following the above analysis, we propose a methodological framework that provides step-wise guidance and better insight into the linkages between climate change impacts and the monetary value of CES. This highlights two main types of CC impacts on CES: one being the climate regulation services of coastal ecosystems, and the other being the monetary value of services, which is subject to substantial uncertainty. Finally, a systematic four-step approach is proposed to effectively monetize potential CC driven variations in the value of CES.

Multi-proxy indicators in a Pontocaspian system: a depth transect of surface sediment in the SE Caspian Sea

The response of large water-bodies to global change in terms of ecosystem services and economical value is a major concern. The Caspian Sea, the world’s largest enclosed water-body, has a poorly-known water-level history, but observed changes are a hundred times faster than recent global sea-level rise. This ancient lake, characterised by brackish waters, is rich in endemic species; some of them have spread to similar environments worldwide. However, the ecology of Pontocaspian species remains poorly understood and must be studied in their original habitat. This work aims at improving the capacity to reconstruct Quaternary environments of the Pontocaspian region and to provide a benchmark for biodiversity turnover studies. A transect of surface sediment across a wide shelf was subjected to multidisciplinary analyses: stable isotopes, pollen, dinocysts, diatoms, foraminifers, ostracods and molluscs and vertical oceanographic profiles. Three depositional environments with characteristic communities were found: shore face, shelf and slope. Invasion impact was strongly felt by the molluscs. All biota groups, except diatoms, reflected high endemism. The radiocarbon reservoir effect is highlighted in differential 14C ages for different groups. Understanding such discrepancies require detailed insight into reworking processes. Tephra presence in the sediment shows a potential for tephrochronology. Stable isotope ratios in ostracods appear to reflect temperature depth gradients. Our results provide a baseline for calibrating proxy data to the present Pontocaspian environment.

Una Breve Descripción de los Servicios Ecosistémicos, Hídricos y Culturales de la Cordillera Blanca y Su Entorno

Este artículo pretende ser una primera aproximación descriptiva a los servicios ecosistémicos, hídricos y culturales ofrecidos por la puna y la criósfera de la Cordillera Blanca del Perú. La Cordillera Blanca es la cadena de montañas tropicales con mayor número y extensión de glaciares del mundo. Igualmente, existen más de 800 lagunas, muchas de reciente formación a causa del retroceso glaciar y de la acelerada fusión de los glaciares cercanos. La criósfera y la puna son dos ecosistemas que destacan dentro de la Cordillera Blanca. La criósfera es el componente del sistema terrestre que contiene agua en estado sólido, y que se encuentra en regiones cubiertas por nieve o hielo. Más abajo, aparece la puna que en Perú se emplaza encima de los 3500 msnm, con un bioma principalmente de herbazal. Ambos ecosistemas tienen amplia distribución y elevada diversidad y hacen una contribución esencial a escala local, regional, nacional y continental. Además, ofrecen hábitats únicos para la biodiversidad, que proveen al ser humano una serie de servicios ecosistémicos de aprovisionamiento, regulación, culturales y esenciales o de apoyo, según la Evaluación de los Ecosistemas del Milenio (MEA), presentada en 2005. Entre estos servicios destaca por su importancia el aprovisionamiento de agua dulce para las actividades humanas.

Valuing the carbon sequestration regulation service by seagrass ecosystems of Palk Bay and Chilika, India

The regulatory ecosystem services in terms of carbon sequestration and storage by Indian seagrass ecosystems were coupled with their monetary values in the context of climate change mitigation in the seagrass meadows of Palk Bay and Chilika Lagoon, two major seagrass ecosystems of India. The results showed that the meadows acted as a net sink of atmospheric CO2; however, they may also act as a minor source of CO2 to the atmosphere depending on the degree of anthropogenic influence. The mean ecosystem productivity ranged between 6.31 and 11.9 kg C ha−1d−1, which is equivalent to the capture of 8.44 and 15.9 Mg CO2 ha−1 year−1. This captured carbon was apportioned primarily in sediments (129 Mg Corg ha−1 in top 1 m soil), which was much higher than the carbon stored as above and below ground biomass (0.20–0.96 Mg Corg ha−1 and 0.30–2.90 Mg Corg ha−1, respectively). The economic valuation of regulatory ecosystem services in the form of C sequestration by an estimated 51,700 ha of total seagrass cover in India was largely dependent on the sequestration rates and the average social cost of carbon. The estimated values ranged between $ 1.02 million and $ 3.65 million per year. In addition, monetary values of the stored carbon in live biomass of Indian seagrass systems ranged between $ 0.45 million and $ 3.89 million, whereas, in the top 1 m soil it ranged between $ 109 million and $ 146 million. Detailed evaluations of various ecosystem functions considering the importance of the local variables may provide a better monetary estimate of these regulatory services.

Alien plants as mediators of ecosystem services and disservices in urban systems: a global review

Urban areas have unique assemblages of species which are governed by novel ecological processes. People living in these environments have specific needs and demands in terms of ecosystem services (ES). Urban ecosystems are transformed in many ways by human activities and their floras comprise a high proportion of alien plant species, many of which were intentionally introduced to provide, augment or restore ES. Urban environments also have novel disturbance regimes and provide colonization sites for the establishment, dispersal and proliferation of alien plant species; such conditions often generate biological invasions which may cause marked changes to ES. We review the roles that alien plants play in providing urban ES and ecosystem disservices (EDS) globally. We identify the main ES and EDS associated with alien plants, and highlight the key species involved. A literature search revealed 335 papers, representing studies in 58 cities or urban areas in 27 countries. These studies recorded 337 alien plant species, contributing to 39 different ES and 27 EDS–310 species were recorded as contributing to ES and 53 species to EDS. A small number of alien plant taxa were frequently recorded as providing multiple ES in many urban ecosystems; the 10 most recorded species accounted for 21% of the ES recorded. Some of these species also result in significant EDS; three species accounted for 30% of the EDS recorded. Cultural services (notably aesthetics) are the most reported ES provided by alien plants in urban areas of developed countries, while provisioning services (notably food production) are most reported in developing countries. The most commonly studied EDS provided by alien plants is the impact on human health (notably allergic reactions). Eighty percent of studies on alien plants and ES and EDS have been done in developed countries. To elucidate the full range of effects of alien plants, more work is needed in developing countries. Urban planners and managers need to be mindful of both the positive and negative impacts of alien plant species to maximise the provision of ES.

The impact on rural livelihoods and ecosystem services of a major relocation and settlement program: A case in Shaanxi, China.

China's largest-ever resettlement program is underway, aiming to restore ecosystems and lift ecosystem service providers out of the poverty trap and into sustainable livelihoods. We examine the impact of the relocation and settlement program (RSP) to date, reporting on an ecosystem services (ES) assessment and a 1400-household survey. The RSP generally achieves the goals of ES increase and livelihood restore. In biophysical terms, the RSP improves water quality, sediment retention, and carbon sequestration. In social terms, resettled households so far report transformation of livelihoods activities from traditional inefficient agricultural and forest production to non-farm activities. Increased income contributes to decrease the poverty rate and improve resettled households' living condition and standard. Meanwhile, the RSP decreases households' dependence on ES in terms of provisioning services. Difficulty and challenge also showed up subsequently after relocation. A major current challenge is to enable poorer households to move, while providing greater follow-up support to relocated households. While the program is unique to China, it illuminates widespread opportunities for addressing environmental and poverty-related concerns in a rapidly changing world.

How do ecosystem services perform in enforceable law? Potentials and pitfalls within regional and national integration

Ecosystem services have constituted a highly discussed topic especially since the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. This is in particular valid for the literature in environmental sciences and related economic sciences. The topic has gained less attention in other social sciences and up until now legal scholars have hardly taken up the issue for an in-depth analysis. Moreover in the legal practice the term has not played any substantial role apart from its inclusion in soft law documents that lack concrete and effective implementation including enforcement mechanisms.This paper addresses the issue of inclusion of the term ecosystem services in legislative documents with such mechanisms. Starting from a neutral position, it discusses the potentials and pitfalls of such an inclusion in the light of the ongoing contradictory discourse about the concept of ecosystem services.This is done by an in-depth review of existing academic literature as well as by empirical quantitative research on EU-law, and by a case study. This case study concerns the on-going assessment of the inclusion of the term ecosystem services into a binding legal act of regional integration on the example of the Regulation of the European Union (EU) on Invasive Alien species. The analysis also covers primary data derived from questionnaires and interviews completed by a wide range of stakeholders from two member states of the EU.The results provide an overview of opportunities and challenges of the inclusion of the term ecosystem services in this particular context of binding and enforceable regional integration law based also on a practical example. The ongoing implementation of this EU-Regulation can provide a blueprint for similar situations of coordinated legislative procedures between different levels of law-making and its implementation including enforcement. These situations can occur beyond a nation's borders or within.Similar research has not been implemented yet according to the knowledge of the authors. Therefore, the results of this contribution provide innovative insights into an ongoing legislative procedure with binding rules on ecosystem services and useful hinds for similar other prospective attempts worldwide.

Ant-mediated ecosystem services and disservices on marketable yield in cocoa agroforestry systems

Abstract The impact of complex direct and indirect interactions between multiple functional groups on plants is poorly documented. In tropical agroecosystems, ants interact with crop mutualists and antagonists, however, little is known about effects of dominants ant community properties on the consequence of such cascading interactions which can be measured through final ecosystem service, crop yield. Here, we present a replicated ant fauna manipulation experiment in cocoa agroecosystems, where we used ant exclusion treatments to test the economic importance of the presence of ants, and two additional treatments where we experimentally introduced one of two common dominant ant species which allowed comparing their effects with those of the naturally occurring ant fauna. The proximate aim was to assess the impact of ants Crematogaster sp., Camponotus brutus Auguste-Henri Forel and Oecophylla longinoda Latreille on cacao yield, which is known to depend on several, cascading intermediate ecosystem services (e.g. control of specific pests). Ants provided ecosystem services in term of reduced pest damage caused by Salhbergella singularis Hagh (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Characoma stictigrapta Hmps (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) but also disservices such as increased pathogen disease caused by Phyphthora megakarya Brasier and Griffin dissemination and indirectly enhanced damage of other pest species. Yields were highest in non-manipulated and species-rich ant communities, whereas ant exclusion and communities dominated by a single species decreased yield by more than 30%. Associated ant communities between dominant and non-dominant species resulted in the same yields as in non-manipulated controls. Dominant ant communities maximized the control of a particular pest species, but not cacao yield. We show a positive relationship between ant species rich communities and financial performance and we postulate that complex agroecosystems can offer competitive business opportunities for small-scale farmers, while contributing to biodiversity conservation. However, more interdisciplinary studies are needed to quantify financial and biodiversity performance opportunities to allow up-scaling of these findings.

Supporting land use change assessment through Ecosystem Services and Wildlife Indexes

Biodiversity and landscape management are recognized as crucial pillars of EU policies and strategies in order to ensure the integration of environmental issues with socio-economic needs at the base of human-made changes, in structural and functional terms. Midterm EU’s Biodiversity Strategy (Feb 2th 2016) highlights the importance of biodiversity protection in Europe, not only in terms of ethical behavior but also due to its intrinsic value of the biodiversity loss, estimated in EUR 50 billion a year. The study is framed into the LIFE/ENV/IT/275 Ecoremed Project, aimed to development of eco-compatible remediation protocols for polluted soils in the area of Litorale Domitio Flegreo – Agro Aversano (declared Regional Interest Priority Site).The paper is aimed at defining potential land use change scenarios, by which positive biodiversity impacts could be provided. It entails 2 steps: definition of three LUC scenarios, through a multi-criteria approach; LUC scenarios assessment, through Ecosystem Services and through wildlife impact assessment. The study works on a physical-mathematical model, by which the multi-criteria evaluation for scenarios construction and the quantitative assessments have been integrated. The procedure allowed to identify the most LUC suitable areas and, then, the potential conflict areas between LUC scenarios and target species presence areas, with the specific identification of wildlife species more impacted, in order to calibrate mitigation interventions and strategies, through specific forms/interventions. Our evidence demonstrates an excellent land response to the LUC-LIFE protocols in terms of Ecosystem Services, while highlights the need to consider more targeted strategies with respect to wildlife impacts.

Are ecosystem service hotspots located in protected areas? Results from a study in Southern Italy

Ecosystems are essential in providing multiple services to society. However, understanding ecosystem services (ESS) in terms of spatial distribution and trade-offs still remains a challenge for landscape planners and natural resource managers. In this paper, we analyzed the supply of a set of ESS – carbon storage, soil erosion protection, biodiversity, and recreation – within the landscape surrounding the city of Bari in Southern Italy. Through an analysis of this landscape, which includes natural protected areas, such as Natura 2000 Network sites, national and regional parks and nature reserves, and in view of the recent Fitness Check of the Nature Directives, we aimed to provide answers to the following questions: (i) Where are the areas of high and low supply of individual ecosystem services located?; (ii) Where do ecosystem service trade-offs (i.e., ‘hotspots’ and ‘coldspots’) occur?; and (iii) To what extent are ecosystem service hotspots and coldspots located within or outside of natural protected areas? Results show that most of the landscape in the study area supplied at least one of the selected ESS and that ESS hotspots were mostly located within forested and/or natural areas. Hotspots occupied 8.0% of the total landscape, with 23.7% located in natural protected areas. Coldspots were scarce and equal to 2.4%; they constituted only 0.1% of natural protected areas. Almost all of the landscape (89.6%) consists of intermediate areas (i.e., between hotspots and coldspots); 76.2% of natural protected areas consists of intermediate areas. This latter finding is relevant because the high intermediate classes are potentially high-performing areas, which lie mainly on the borders of protected spaces; they can positively influence ecological processes and thus enhance a wide-ranging provision of ESS. Our results highlight the importance of analyzing landscapes to facilitate the selection of priority areas where management efforts would yield maximum benefits.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION TO INFORMAL URBAN SETTLEMENTS

Green infrastructure plays a critical role in environmentally sustainable urbanization in developing countries. Based on a review of academic outputs, this paper explores green infrastructure in the context of informal urban settlements. It identifies three ways informal settlements are connected to green spaces and natural ecosystems functioning as urban green infrastructure and then shows examples of benefits derived (ecosystem services) by the urban poor from these connections. Undesirable aspects and negative outcomes, regarded as ecosystem disservices, from the connection to natural ecosystems are also pointed out. The potentials of enhancing ecosystem services in terms of improving quality of life and the environment in informal settlements came to the fore. This work contributes to the growing body of knowledge on urban green infrastructure from the perspective of informal settlements in developing countries.

A method to assess the economic impacts of forest biomass use on ecosystem services in a National Park

The aim of the paper is to develop a method to assess the effect of forest biomass use for energy on ecosystem services (ES). Such method has been in the GRASS GIS environment, by creating an Decision Support System (DSS) called r.green.biomassfor. The method has been tested in the Triglav National Park in Slovenia. The potential forest biomass was estimated with r.green.biomassfor DSS taking into account the effects of forest biomass harvesting on ES in terms of economic value. The economic value of each ecosystem service to society has been estimated using different economic evaluation methods and were spatially located with a Geographical Information System (GIS) application. Then, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered face-to-face to the experts in order to understand the effects of forest biomass harvesting on the ES at local level. Finally, the results of the questionnaire survey were elaborated to obtain indicators useful to assess the economic gain or loss on the benefits provided by ES based on the results of r.green.biomassfor DSS.

Defining and characterizing ecosystem services for education: A Delphi study

AbstractRecent advancements in science have led to an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the many ways in which humans benefit from environmental systems. These benefits, termed Ecosystem Services, are sparsely characterized in education literature, but were included in the most recent iteration of US national science standards: the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). In this paper, we introduce the concept of Ecosystem Services and discuss why it is emerging as an important idea to teach. Specifically, we present a definition and set of big conceptual ideas about ecosystem services developed using a Delphi technique: a method that uses repeat survey of a panel of experts in a domain, to reach a consensus about important ideas. Using the central ideas that emerged during this study, we developed a refined model of coupled human‐environment systems that articulates multiple human populations as embedded within ecosystems, connected to these ecosystems near and far, and benefiting from the resources and conditions provisioned by these ecosystems. We discuss the implications of this model to future education research, as well as to future revisions of Disciplinary Core Ideas in the National Research Council Framework for Science Education. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 54:737–763, 2017

Good practices in cultural heritage management and the use of subsurface knowledge in urban areas

City growth threatens sustainable development of cities. Over the past decades increased urbanization has created more pressure - not only on the suburban outskirts - but also in the inner core of the cities, putting important environmental issues such as water management and cultural heritage under stress. Cultural heritage, either standing monuments or archaeological remains, is internationally recognized as an important legacy of our history. The European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage incorporates concepts and ideas that have become accepted practice in Europe. Conservation and enhancement of archaeological heritage is one of the goals of urban planning policies. One of the key objectives of the European policy is to protect, preferably in-situ, archaeological remains buried in the soil or seabed and to incorporate archaeological heritage into spatial planning policies. Conflicts with prior uses and unappreciated impacts on other subsurface resources, amongst them archaeological heritage, make use of underground space in cities suboptimal. In terms of ecosystem services, the subsurface environment acts either as a carrier of archaeological heritage in situ (stewardship) or supports above-ground cultural heritage. Often, it’s not enough to protect the heritage site or monument itself: new developments outside a specific protected area can lead to changes in groundwater level, and cause serious damage to heritage buildings and archaeological deposits. This paper presents good practices in cultural heritage management and the use of subsurface knowledge in urban areas.