Utilization Of Ecosystem Services Research Articles

Utilization of ecosystem services in future vision decision-making for climate-resilient cities

Utilization of ecosystem services in future vision decision-making for climate-resilient cities

Prioritization of livestock diseases by pastoralists in Oloitoktok Sub County, Kajiado County, Kenya.

Livestock diseases are a big challenge for the livelihood of pastoralists in sub-Saharan Africa because they reduce livestock productivity and increase mortality. Based on the literature available there is limited understanding on how pastoralists prioritize these diseases in the context of their culture, ecosystems and livelihoods. A study was conducted to provide insights on lay prioritization of animal diseases by pastoralists in Kenya. A qualitative study was undertaken between March and July 2021. Thirty in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with community members to explore community attitudes on livestock diseases prioritization. Male and female livestock keepers were purposively selected and interviewed and they were all long-term residents of the area. Fourteen key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with professionals from different key sectors to provide detailed stakeholder perspectives on livestock diseases. The interviews were analyzed thematically using the QSR Nvivo software to identify the emerging themes related to the study objectives. The pastoralists prioritized livestock diseases based on effect on their economic wellbeing, cultural values and utilization of ecosystem services. There were gender variabilities in how diseases were prioritized among the pastoralists. Men cited high priority diseases as foot and mouth disease and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia due to their regular occurrence and effect on livelihood. Notably, women regarded coenuruses as very important because it affected sheep and goats with a high mortality rate and lumpy skin disease because it rendered the meat from the carcasses inedible. Malignant catarrhal fever and trypanosomiasis were noted as some of the common diseases in the livestock-wildlife interface but not cited as priority diseases. Challenges related to disease control in pastoralist contexts exist including limited access to livestock treatment services, inadequate information on disease impact and complex environmental factors. This study sheds light on the body of knowledge in Kenya regarding livestock diseases and their prioritization by livestock keepers. This could aid in the development of a common disease control framework and prioritization at the local level which would take into consideration the dynamic socio-cultural, ecological, livelihood and economic contexts of the communities.

Examining Agricultural Communities' Views on Provisioning Ecosystem Services from the Batang Toru Forest

Our study investigates the significance of ecosystem services for agricultural production and rural livelihoods, specifically focusing on the Batang Toru forest in North Sumatera. Through household surveys and descriptive analysis, we gather data on farmers' preferences for specific ecosystem services and examine their benefits for agriculture. Our findings highlight the crucial role of provisioning services, including food crops and non-timber forest products, in sustaining farmers' livelihoods within the study area. We also underscore the prevalence of agroforestry practices and stress the necessity for targeted interventions to enhance sustainability and productivity. Furthermore, our study provides valuable insights into the intricate relationship between farmers' perceptions of ecosystem services and various influencing factors in the Batang Toru forest context. Positive correlations are observed between land size, frequency of interactions with forested areas, benzoin farmers, and farmers engaged in other non-timber forest products, signifying the importance of these factors in shaping farmers' recognition of the forest's contributions. By understanding these factors, policymakers and practitioners can develop effective strategies to promote the sustainable management and utilization of ecosystem services in the Batang Toru forest region, benefiting both farmers and the surrounding environment.

Multiscale Characteristics and Drivers of the Bundles of Ecosystem Service Budgets in the Su-Xi-Chang Region, China.

Managing ecosystem services (ESs) to meet human needs is critical to achieving sustainable development in rapidly urbanizing regions. Identifying ES budget bundles and analyzing their drivers at a multiscale level can facilitate management decision-making; however, further research is required in areas undergoing rapid urbanization. This study quantified the supply, demand, and budgets of six typical ESs at the county, township, and village scales in the Su-Xi-Chang region in 2020. Additionally, the influence of natural environmental and socioeconomic factors on ES budget bundles was investigated based on K-means cluster analysis and the Geodetector model. The results showed that ESs on all three scales showed a mismatch between supply and demand. The similarity in the spatial pattern of supply, demand, and budgets of ESs at the township and village scales was higher than that at the township and county scales. The location and area of surplus, balance, and deficit varied with scale. We found that population density and the proportion of impervious surfaces are the main factors influencing the formation of the ES budget bundles at different scales. In addition, the diversity and degree of interpretation of drivers varied with scale. We believe that focusing on the overall situation on a large scale and implementing precise management on a small scale can make management decisions more effective. This study can provide a scientific basis for the sustainable utilization of ESs in the Su-Xi-Chang region, and the research results and methods can provide a reference for similar studies in other rapidly urbanizing areas in the world.

Development of community empowerment based on zonation in the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park, Indonesia

Local communities surrounding Gunung Halimun Salak National Park are highly dependent on the national park area. Economic development is crucial to improving the livelihood of the local communities around the park area. Additionally, to ensure that the preservation of the national park will be supported by the surrounding communities, activities within the local communities can also align with the management of the national park. In Indonesia, national parks are managed through a zonation system, in which potential areas that satisfy the biophysical conditions will be considered for development activities that support the local communities. We analyze the biophysical condition of the area, zonation of area, and socio-economic conditions of communities to identify the types of potential community development activities. We conducted a survey of biophysical conditions, as well as interviews and focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders. The results of the study reveal five types of community development activities with the most potential, namely 1) development of tourism; 2) conservation partnership schemes; 3) cooperation on ecosystem restoration; 4) development of forest plant cultivation to provide seeds for economic benefits; 5) utilization of ecosystem services, such as water and hydroelectric power plants.

Forest ecosystem services contribution to food security of vulnerable group: a case study from India.

The main objective of the study is to analyze the linkages between ecosystem services and food security of the Soliga tribes in India. This study mainly focuses on four dimensions of ecosystem services, (i) production and providing of wild food and water resources, (availability); (ii) rural livelihood, employment opportunities, and income generation (accessibility); and (iii) utilization of ecosystem services, persons are capable of increasing energy and nutrition from food (utilization); (iv) adequate and enough food is accessible, reachable, and utilizable on a dependable, sustainable basis (stability). This study has used primary data for analyzing the linkages between ecosystem services and food security of (Soligas tribe in Karnataka) 210 households were interviewed in South India. The results of the study is found that forest provisioning ecosystem services major role in their everyday food and nutrition. The main policy implication of the study is integrating ecosystem services and food security for sustainable agricultural production of tribal communities.

Ecosystem Services: The Landscape-Ecological Base and Examples

The major problems of our environment have become mainstream themes in everyday life of the society, with corresponding moral, political, and financial consequences. The concept of ecosystem services (ESS) surely belongs to such mainstream popular topics regarded also by EU environmental strategies. Moreover, the right assessment and utilisation of ESS are without any doubt one of the precondition of sustainable development. In general, we can say that this concept has important influence on the spheres of economics and politics; these formulate demands towards the science, and consecutively, the science efforts to answer these demands. The paper is aimed at two goals: the first one is to zoom in on the landscape-ecological concept of ESS by the geosystem approach, for the correct understanding of the basic terms, such as as ecosystem, geosystem, landscape, utility values, and services. The second goal is to present examples of several types of ESS evaluation in different study areas using the integrated landscape-ecological (geosystem) approach. The methods used are based on the geosystem approach to the landscape; the process is based on the methods of landscape ecological planning. The results are the assessment of 4 types of ecosystem services on study areas.

A Framework for Characterizing and Regulating Ecosystem Services in a Management Planning Context

Sustainable management promises to improve the conservation and utilization of ecosystem services and their contribution to human wellbeing through management plans. This paper explores the concept of characterization and integration of ecosystem services in a management planning concept. The integration process involves the identification, quantification, valuation, assessment, and monitoring of ecosystem services over time. The quantification of common ecosystem services, such as soil erosion, water conservation, recreation, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration was explored. A framework was developed to integrate ecosystem services into management planning process. Ecosystem services are classified as provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services with a defined typology. The conceptual framework acts as an organizing structure and it serves as a model for the management of ecosystems with their contribution to human wellbeing. Ecosystem management with multi-criteria decision techniques, information technologies and a structured participation is a proposed approach for the sustainable management of ecological, economic, and socio-cultural functions. Establishing the quantitative relationships between ecosystem services and societal benefits is essential. The provision of a universally accepted clear measurement of regulating, supporting, and cultural services is challenging. A commitment, vision, and strong willingness are required to adopt policies, regulations, and management objectives in planning. Integration can only be realized with prioritizing ecosystem services with the involvement of stakeholders. Substantial understanding of both the ecological and social systems is a prerequisite for sustainable management of ecosystem services. The ecosystem services with significant benefits to the wellbeing of society should primarily be characterized, their relative importance be weighted, and prioritized through a participatory approach. A holistic approach with a comprehensive decision support system is essential in forecasting the future provision of ecosystem services and assessing the trade-off analysis, resulting in better policy formulation before on-the-ground implementation.

Perceptions of ecosystem services provision performance in the face of climate change among communities in Bobirwa sub-district, Botswana

PurposeBetween 2006 and 2016, local communities in semi-arid Bobirwa sub-district in the Limpopo Basin part of Botswana had endured notable fluctuations in the delivery of critical ecosystem services. These changes have been coupled with adverse effects on local people’s livelihood options and well-being. However, a few such studies have focussed on the semi-arid to arid landscapes. This study therefore aims to provide recent knowledge and evidence of consequences of environmental change on semi-arid arid landscapes and communities.MethodologyTo examine these recent changes in key ecosystem services, the authors conducted six participatory mapping processes, eight key informant interviews and several rapid scoping appraisals in three study villages. The analyses were centred on changes in seasonal quantities, seasonality, condition of ecosystem service sites, distance to ecosystem service sites and total area providing these services. Drivers of change in the delivery of key ecosystem services and the associated adverse impacts on human well-being of these recent changes in bundles of ecosystem services delivered were also analyzed.FindingsResults show that adverse weather conditions, drought frequency, changes in land-use and/or land-cover together with unsustainable harvesting because of human influx on local resources have intensified in the past decade. There was circumstantial evidence that these drivers have resulted in adverse changes in quantities and seasonality of key ecosystem services such as edible Mopane caterpillars, natural pastures, wild fruits and cultivated crops. Similarly, distance to, condition and total area of sites providing some of the key ecosystem services such as firewood and natural pastures changed adversely. These adverse changes in the key ecosystem services were shown to increasingly threaten local livelihoods and human well-being.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper discusses the importance of engaging rural communities in semi-arid areas in a participatory manner and how such information can provide baseline information for further research. The paper also shows the utility of such processes and information toward integrating community values and knowledge into decisions regarding the management and utilization of local ecosystem services under a changing climate in data-poor regions such as the Bobirwa sub-district of Botswana. However, the extent to which this is possible depends on the decision makers’ willingness to support local initiatives through existing government structures and programmes.Originality/valueThis study shows the importance of engaging communities in a participatory manner to understand changes in local ecosystem services considering their unique connection with the natural environment. This is a critical step for decision makers toward integrating community values in the management and utilization of ecosystem services under a changing climate as well as informing more sustainable adaptive responses in semi-arid areas. However, the extent to which decision makers can integrate such findings to inform more sustainable responses to declining capacity of local ecosystems in semi-arid areas depends on how they value the bottom-up approach of gaining local knowledge as well as their willingness to support local initiatives through existing government structures and programmes.

Towards an integrated flood management approach to address trade-offs between ecosystem services: Insights from the Dutch and German Rhine, Hungarian Tisza, and Chinese Yangtze basins

The utilization of ecosystem services in flood management is challenged by the complexity of human-nature interactions and practical implementation barriers towards more ecosystem-based solutions, such as riverine urban areas or technical infrastructure. This paper analyses how flood management has dealt with trade-offs between ecosystem services and practical constrains towards more ecosystem-based solutions. To this end, we study the evolution of flood management in four case studies in the Dutch and German Rhine, the Hungarian Tisza, and the Chinese Yangtze basins during the last decades, focusing on the development and implementation of institutions and their link to ecosystem services. The complexity of human-nature interactions is addressed by exploring the impacts on ecosystem services through the lens of three management paradigms: (1) the control paradigm, (2) the ecosystem-based paradigm, and (3) the stakeholder involvement paradigm. Case study data from expert interviews and a literature search were structured using a database approach prior to qualitative interpretation. Results show the growing importance of the ecosystem-based and stakeholder involvement paradigms which has led to the consideration of a range of regulating and cultural ecosystem services that had previously been neglected. We detected a trend in flood management practice towards the combination of the different paradigms under the umbrella of integrated flood management, which aims at finding the most suitable solution depending on the respective regional conditions.

Model Dinamik Pengelolaan Jasa Ekosistem Waduk Koto Panjang Kabupaten Kampar Riau

The study aims to establish the management model of ecosystem services Koto Panjang Reservoir.The approach used in this modeling is the Dynamic Modelling. The results showed the value ofprediction error of the simulation results based on the data used was in the range 0.4 % - 4.64 %. Thesimulation results show the value of economic growth in 2020 will reach its peak value Rp.3,3 billion.The economic value of the total economic value of the four main activities of the utilization ofecosystem services Koto Panjang Reservoir namely; KJA cultivation of Rp.1,1 billion, tourism Rp.1,6billion, fishing by paddle for 60 million, fishing by fishing boat engine at Rp.489 million. Modelscenarios developed by increasing the KJA growth of 30% and 100% for tourism, managed toincrease the total economic value of Rp.5,08 billion from previously around Rp.3,3 billion or anincrease of approximately 53.95%. The increase in the economic value derived from an increase inthe economic value of Rp.1,56 billion KJA activities and improvement of the economic value oftourism activities Rp 2,9 billion. Keywords: ecosystem services, reservoirs, total economic value, dynamic modelling

Spatial mapping of the social value of forest services: A case study of northern Jordan

ABSTRACTDespite the growing body of research on ecosystem services and their valuation, Jordan still faces many challenges with integration of ecosystem service concepts into forest sustainability policy and management planning. One major challenge is the incorporation of local communities into policy design, planning, and implementation. This article aims to provide information about the social value of forests’ provisioning and cultural services in a spatial context using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The study utilizes a new approach to mapping value in rural areas by projecting local forest value from interview data. A value index is created based on indicated importance of services as well as proximity to households, permitting interpolation of value in forested areas between survey points. The resulting maps illustrate ecosystem service “hotspot” areas of significance to planning and management. This mapping technique can be applied in other locations where homes are situated near and within the ecosystems being assessed. The resulting maps serve to inform forest management policy and planning by better integrating communities’ preferences into development and conservation efforts, ensuring more efficient utilization of ecosystem services.

Biochar amendment in the green roof substrate affects runoff quality and quantity

The utilisation of ecosystem services has been suggested as one solution to manage urban environmental problems, one of which is the excessive quantity or poor quality stormwater. As roofs contribute significantly to the amount of runoff, vegetated, i.e. green roofs have become an increasingly popular way to manage urban water in densely built areas. However, green roofs may introduce a new source of water pollution evidenced as higher concentrations of nutrients, especially phosphorus, in runoff compared to that in precipitation inputs. In two controlled, replicated experiments, one in the field for 7 months and another in the laboratory for 6 weeks, the amendment of biochar to green roof substrates was studied for its potential to mitigate the leaching of nutrients from newly installed pre-grown green roof Sedum and meadow mats. Nutrient concentrations were an order of magnitude higher in runoff from green roofs than in rain water. In the field experiment, biochar reduced the cumulative leaching of nutrients, even though biochar did not significantly reduce nutrient concentrations. These results can be interpreted as a combined impact of biochar on both the quantity and quality of runoff over time, the quantitative effect being apparently stronger than the qualitative. In the laboratory experiment, one type of biochar reduced nutrient concentrations and load in runoff while another type had an opposite effect. As the properties of biochar can vary considerably, careful studies are necessary before large-scale implementation of biochar amendment in green roofs are considered, to avoid unintended consequences.

Efficient and Equitable Utilization of Ecosystem Services

Efficient and Equitable Utilization of Ecosystem Services

水域の公益性から考える生態系サービスの保全と活用 —漁業者と市民の共通目標となりえるか？

水域の公益性から考える生態系サービスの保全と活用 —漁業者と市民の共通目標となりえるか？