Search

Recreation is a basic human need and therefore must be considered in spatial planning, which requires spatially explicit mapping of the recreation suitability of a landscape. The current methods for this type of mapping have limitations: On one hand, widely used expert-based models for large scale suitability assessments often suffer from discrepancies between the mapped values from expert assessment and actual user preferences. On the other hand, elicitation of personal preferences of potential users is complex and time-consuming, and their applicability to larger scales is limited. In this paper, we demonstrate the development of a spatially explicit model for the recreation suitability of the riverine zone that integrates the preferences of the users with an expert-based modeling process. First, we conducted an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with experts to generate four different model variants based on physical variables. These model variants differ in terms of the strength of the influence of the variables on the recreation suitability. Second, an online survey was used to gather data on user preferences for various river sections with regard to recreation. A comparison of the expert model results with the preferences of the potential users shows a clear correlation between one model variant and the users’ preferences. This result suggests that it is possible to elaborate an expert model which corresponds to the preferences of users. We made the model results available for the planning and development of the riverine zone in the canton of Zurich. To this end, they were integrated in a decision support platform together with other planning-relevant information.

Marginal land use changes can abruptly result in non-marginal and irreversible changes in ecosystem functioning and the economic values that the ecosystem generates. This challenges the traditional ecosystem services (ESS) mapping approach, which has often made the assumption that ESS can be mapped uniquely to land use and land cover data. Using a functional fragmentation measure, we show how landscape pattern changes might lead to changes in the delivery of ESS. We map changes in ESS of dry calcareous grasslands under different land use change scenarios in a case study region in Switzerland. We selected three ESS known to be related to species diversity including carbon sequestration and pollination as regulating values and recreational experience as cultural value, and compared them to the value of two production services including food and timber production. Results show that the current unceasing fragmentation is particularly critical for the value of ESS provided by species-rich habitats. The article concludes that assessing landscape patterns is key for maintaining valuable ESS in the face of human use and fluctuating environment., Landscape Ecology, 29 (2)

The EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020 requires the Member States of the European Union to map and assess ecosystem services. This paper presents a procedure for developing a national framework of ecosystem service indicators for Germany that is applicable at different scales and is transferable to other countries. The framework was set up to use existing indicators or datasets and to be compatible with international typologies of ecosystem services and their indicators. Starting with an evaluation of the importance of different ecosystem services for Germany and an analysis of existing monitoring systems, we define suitable indicators for mapping ecosystem services nationwide. We demonstrate how both the supply of and demand for ecosystem services can be mapped with different indicators and datasets and how these indicators have to be adapted for use at different scales. Subsequently, we analyze the resulting maps to draw conclusions about the suitability of the different indicators and their complementarity. Furthermore, we show synergies and trade-offs between ecosystem services in Germany and discuss the applicability of the ecosystem services concept for decision making and spatial planning.

Target 2, Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy requests member states “to map and assess ecosystems and their services” (Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services – MAES initiative). The objective of this paper is to present and discuss the preliminary outcomes of the approach taken to define indicators for implementing MAES in Germany. The paper introduces the requirements for using indicators from a perspective of nature conservation policy, in particular the need to discern the demand and supply of ecosystem services, including their potentials, actual and future use, as well as the natural contributions and human inputs to the generation of ecosystem services. An adapted, differentiated, ecosystem services terminology is presented and a first set of indicators is introduced and explained. The paper closes with an estimate of potential benefits of information produced by implementation of a national MAES for various fields of policy (e.g. local and regional landscape planning) and proposes some recommendations for further research and practical exploration.

Bayesian Networks (BNs) are commonly used to model socio-ecological systems, as their graphical structure supports participatory modelling, they can integrate quantitative data and qualitative knowledge, and account for uncertainty. Although the spatial and temporal dimensions are important in socio-ecological systems, there is a lack of openly available and easy-to-use tools to run BNs with spatial data over time. Here, we present gBay (gbay.ethz.ch), an online platform where users can link their BNs to spatial data, run the network iteratively to incorporate dynamics and feedbacks, and add geo-processing calculations to account for spatial interactions. We demonstrate the use of this tool on the examples of a modelling a regulating ecosystem service, where we account for neighbourhood effects, and land-use decisions, where we include regional-level boundary conditions. The gBay platform supports users with its graphical interface and instructive wiki page, and provides a step towards more accessible and flexible socio-ecological modelling., Environmental Modelling & Software, 127, ISSN:1364-8152, ISSN:1873-6726

We present options for a National Ecosystem Assessment in Germany (NEA-DE) that could inform decision-makers on the state and trends of ecosystems and ecosystem services. Characterizing a NEA-DE, we argue that its cross-sectoral, integrative approach would have the advantages of increased scientific understanding, addressing specific policy questions and creating science-policy dialogues. Challenges include objections against a utilitarian perspective, reservations concerning power relations, and responsibilities concerning the funding., GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 26 (1), ISSN:0940-5550

Ecosystem services (ES) mapping make the benefits of nature spatially explicit. The different methods used for ES mapping limit the comparability of outcomes and call for a more consistent but flexible approach. We present a four step tiered approach for ES mapping supporting scholars to select the adequate combination of variables: First, the user, researcher or policy maker defines the goal of the ES assessment. Second, a meta-analysis of relevant ES mapping studies is conducted to identify key variables for mapping the selected ES. Third, the identified variables are attributed to the different levels of the multitier framework according to the level at which they best answer the policy or research question. Finally, appropriate methods for mapping the ES are selected based on the reviewed studies. We illustrate the approach for recreational services at three different tiers. Main advantages of the tiered approach are that (i) it can be adapted to other ES, (ii) it supports the efforts toward a standardized ES assessment, (iii) it provides information about relevant variables to be considered in long term monitoring at different scales, (iv) it supports sustainable resource management as it ensures the inclusion of information relevant to decision makers at different levels., Ecosystem Services, 13, ISSN:2212-0416

As the concept of ecosystem services is being operationalised and implemented in policies, a better guidance on the selection of suitable methods for ecosystem services mapping and assessment is needed to allow more sound, transparent and comparable processes. A vast range of assessments focusing on different sets of ecosystem services at various scales is existing and the applied methods cover different disciplines from ecology to economy and social sciences. This complicates the assessment of single or bundles of ecosystem services across spatio-temporal scales and requires a broad expertise. A tiered approach for ecosystem services assessment allows selecting the appropriate application of a certain method for tackling a specific question at a given scale. In this publication, we illustrate how the EU H2020 project ESMERALDA supported the development of such a tiered approach for assessing ecosystem services. The iterative exchanges between experienced researchers and practitioners in mapping and assessing ecosystem services in various contexts allowed the co-production of an approach to guide the choice of methods. Ultimately, the proposed tiered approach will not only support communication of the ecosystem services concept, but will also reduce the tendency for selecting an unsuitable approach for solving complex problems linked to ecosystem services-based resource management.