Selecting methods for ecosystem service assessment: A decision tree approach

Paula A. Harrison; Robert Dunford; David Barton; Eszter Keleman; Berta Martin- Lopez; Lisa Norton; Mette Termansen; Heli Saarikoski; Kees Hendriks; Eric Gómez-Baggethun; Bálint Czúcz; Marina García Llorente; David Howard; Sander Jacobs; Martin Karlsen; Leena Kopperoinen; Anders Madsen; Graciela M. Rusch; Michiel Eupen; Peter Verweij; Rognvald Smith; Diana Tuomasjukka; Grazia Zulian

doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.09.016

Selecting methods for ecosystem service assessment: A decision tree approach

Paula A. Harrison, Robert Dunford, David Barton, Eszter Keleman, Berta Martin- Lopez, Lisa Norton, Mette Termansen, Heli Saarikoski, Kees Hendriks, Eric Gómez-Baggethun, Bálint Czúcz, Marina García Llorente, David Howard, Sander Jacobs, Martin Karlsen, Leena Kopperoinen, Anders Madsen, Graciela M. Rusch, Michiel Eupen, Peter VerweijRognvald Smith, Diana Tuomasjukka, Grazia Zulian

68 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A range of methods are available for assessing ecosystem services. Methods differ in their aims; from mapping and modelling the supply and demand of ecosystem services to appraising their economic and non-economic importance through valuation techniques. Comprehensive guidance for the selection of appropriate ecosystem service assessment methods that address the requirements of different decision-making contexts is lacking. This paper tackles this gap using the experience from 27 case studies which applied different biophysical, socio-cultural and monetary valuation methods to operationalise the ecosystem service concept towards sustainable land, water and urban management. A survey of the reasons why the case study teams selected particular methods revealed that stakeholder-oriented reasons, such as stakeholder participation, inclusion of local knowledge and ease of communication, and decision-oriented reasons, such as the purpose of the case study and the ecosystem services at stake, were key considerations in selecting a method. Pragmatic reasons such as available data, resources and expertise were also important factors. This information was used to develop a set of linked decision trees, which aim to provide guidance to researchers and practitioners in choosing ecosystem service assessment methods that are suitable for their context.

Original language	English
Journal	Ecosystem Services
Volume	29
Issue number	C
Pages (from-to)	481-498
Number of pages	18
ISSN	2212-0416
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.09.016
Publication status	Published - Feb 2018
Externally published	Yes

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Harrison, P. A., Dunford, R., Barton, D., Keleman, E., Martin- Lopez, B., Norton, L., Termansen, M., Saarikoski, H., Hendriks, K., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Czúcz, B., Llorente, M. G., Howard, D., Jacobs, S., Karlsen, M., Kopperoinen, L., Madsen, A., Rusch, G. M., Eupen, M., ... Zulian, G. (2018). Selecting methods for ecosystem service assessment: A decision tree approach. Ecosystem Services, 29(C), 481-498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.09.016

Harrison, PA, Dunford, R, Barton, D, Keleman, E, Martin- Lopez, B, Norton, L, Termansen, M, Saarikoski, H, Hendriks, K, Gómez-Baggethun, E, Czúcz, B, Llorente, MG, Howard, D, Jacobs, S, Karlsen, M, Kopperoinen, L, Madsen, A, Rusch, GM, Eupen, M, Verweij, P, Smith, R, Tuomasjukka, D & Zulian, G 2018, 'Selecting methods for ecosystem service assessment: A decision tree approach', Ecosystem Services, vol. 29, no. C, pp. 481-498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.09.016

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abstract = "A range of methods are available for assessing ecosystem services. Methods differ in their aims; from mapping and modelling the supply and demand of ecosystem services to appraising their economic and non-economic importance through valuation techniques. Comprehensive guidance for the selection of appropriate ecosystem service assessment methods that address the requirements of different decision-making contexts is lacking. This paper tackles this gap using the experience from 27 case studies which applied different biophysical, socio-cultural and monetary valuation methods to operationalise the ecosystem service concept towards sustainable land, water and urban management. A survey of the reasons why the case study teams selected particular methods revealed that stakeholder-oriented reasons, such as stakeholder participation, inclusion of local knowledge and ease of communication, and decision-oriented reasons, such as the purpose of the case study and the ecosystem services at stake, were key considerations in selecting a method. Pragmatic reasons such as available data, resources and expertise were also important factors. This information was used to develop a set of linked decision trees, which aim to provide guidance to researchers and practitioners in choosing ecosystem service assessment methods that are suitable for their context.",

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AU - Termansen, Mette

AU - Saarikoski, Heli

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AU - Gómez-Baggethun, Eric

AU - Czúcz, Bálint

AU - Llorente, Marina García

AU - Howard, David

AU - Jacobs, Sander

AU - Karlsen, Martin

AU - Kopperoinen, Leena

AU - Madsen, Anders

AU - Rusch, Graciela M.

AU - Eupen, Michiel

AU - Verweij, Peter

AU - Smith, Rognvald

AU - Tuomasjukka, Diana

AU - Zulian, Grazia

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N2 - A range of methods are available for assessing ecosystem services. Methods differ in their aims; from mapping and modelling the supply and demand of ecosystem services to appraising their economic and non-economic importance through valuation techniques. Comprehensive guidance for the selection of appropriate ecosystem service assessment methods that address the requirements of different decision-making contexts is lacking. This paper tackles this gap using the experience from 27 case studies which applied different biophysical, socio-cultural and monetary valuation methods to operationalise the ecosystem service concept towards sustainable land, water and urban management. A survey of the reasons why the case study teams selected particular methods revealed that stakeholder-oriented reasons, such as stakeholder participation, inclusion of local knowledge and ease of communication, and decision-oriented reasons, such as the purpose of the case study and the ecosystem services at stake, were key considerations in selecting a method. Pragmatic reasons such as available data, resources and expertise were also important factors. This information was used to develop a set of linked decision trees, which aim to provide guidance to researchers and practitioners in choosing ecosystem service assessment methods that are suitable for their context.

AB - A range of methods are available for assessing ecosystem services. Methods differ in their aims; from mapping and modelling the supply and demand of ecosystem services to appraising their economic and non-economic importance through valuation techniques. Comprehensive guidance for the selection of appropriate ecosystem service assessment methods that address the requirements of different decision-making contexts is lacking. This paper tackles this gap using the experience from 27 case studies which applied different biophysical, socio-cultural and monetary valuation methods to operationalise the ecosystem service concept towards sustainable land, water and urban management. A survey of the reasons why the case study teams selected particular methods revealed that stakeholder-oriented reasons, such as stakeholder participation, inclusion of local knowledge and ease of communication, and decision-oriented reasons, such as the purpose of the case study and the ecosystem services at stake, were key considerations in selecting a method. Pragmatic reasons such as available data, resources and expertise were also important factors. This information was used to develop a set of linked decision trees, which aim to provide guidance to researchers and practitioners in choosing ecosystem service assessment methods that are suitable for their context.

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VL - 29

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EP - 498

JO - Ecosystem Services

JF - Ecosystem Services

IS - C

ER -

Selecting methods for ecosystem service assessment: A decision tree approach

Abstract

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