scholarly journals Planning for the conservation and management of ecosystem services in Central Chile

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Martinez-Harms
2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1844) ◽  
pp. 20161635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel D. Cavanagh ◽  
Stefanie Broszeit ◽  
Graham M. Pilling ◽  
Susie M. Grant ◽  
Eugene J. Murphy ◽  
...  

Valuation of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) is widely recognized as a useful, though often controversial, approach to conservation and management. However, its use in the marine environment, hence evidence of its efficacy, lags behind that in terrestrial ecosystems. This largely reflects key challenges to marine conservation and management such as the practical difficulties in studying the ocean, complex governance issues and the historically-rooted separation of biodiversity conservation and resource management. Given these challenges together with the accelerating loss of marine biodiversity (and threats to the ES that this biodiversity supports), we ask whether valuation efforts for marine ecosystems are appropriate and effective. We compare three contrasting systems: the tropical Pacific, Southern Ocean and UK coastal seas. In doing so, we reveal a diversity in valuation approaches with different rates of progress and success. We also find a tendency to focus on specific ES (often the harvested species) rather than biodiversity. In light of our findings, we present a new conceptual view of valuation that should ideally be considered in decision-making. Accounting for the critical relationships between biodiversity and ES, together with an understanding of ecosystem structure and functioning, will enable the wider implications of marine conservation and management decisions to be evaluated. We recommend embedding valuation within existing management structures, rather than treating it as an alternative or additional mechanism. However, we caution that its uptake and efficacy will be compromised without the ability to develop and share best practice across regions.


Author(s):  
Gidon Winters ◽  
Rachamim Shem Tov ◽  
Tal Elmaliach ◽  
Dor Edelist ◽  
Gil Rilov

Within the Gulf of Aqaba, coral reefs have been considered the dominating ecosystem, attracting not only scientific attention, but also restoration efforts, aquarium exhibits and outreach educational programs. Seagrasses, which are known worldwide as a highly important ecosystem, have not received much attention by the public, scientists or authorities involved in conservation and management in this region. This is surprising considering the value of ecosystem services associated with seagarsses and the fact that many of these services are important to adjacent coral reefs. The absence of comprehensive seagrass maps for this region, prohibits other downstream activities such as evaluations of the associated ecosystem services and implementation of potential conservation and management tools. Here we present efforts to map seagrass meadows along the Israeli coast of the northern Gulf of Aqaba. Mapping was done by snorkeling with a GPS and a handheld echo-sounder. Transects perpendicular to the shore were conducted with measurements taken every 10-20 m that included water depth, GPS position and percent of seagrass cover estimated visually up to 13-23 m depending on visibility. In addition to these transects, we also tracked the shallow boundary of the meadows parallel to shore, usually at 3-5 m depth. Both data sets were then fed into Arc-GIS to create an interpolated GIS layer. Out of 11 km available shoreline, we swam along 9.7 km and collected a total of 2830 data points. Seagrasses were found growing along 7.5 km of these shores, with seagrass meadows covering 707,000 sqm2.estimated to be worth = US$ 2,000,000 year-1 in associated ecosystem services. In addition to mapping the seagrass meadows themselvs, we also mapped the potential dangers to seagrasses in the region. Disturbances were ranked as low, medium or high according to severity and frequency. We expect that these maps (GIS layers) will allow us to not only understand the current distribution of seagrasses in the area, but also to develop a GIS-based tool that will improve our understanding of how changes in the Gulf could affect the cover and state of seagrasses, and thus improve conservation efforts in the region.


Author(s):  
Gidon Winters ◽  
Rachamim Shem Tov ◽  
Tal Elmaliach ◽  
Dor Edelist ◽  
Gil Rilov

Within the Gulf of Aqaba, coral reefs have been considered the dominating ecosystem, attracting not only scientific attention, but also restoration efforts, aquarium exhibits and outreach educational programs. Seagrasses, which are known worldwide as a highly important ecosystem, have not received much attention by the public, scientists or authorities involved in conservation and management in this region. This is surprising considering the value of ecosystem services associated with seagarsses and the fact that many of these services are important to adjacent coral reefs. The absence of comprehensive seagrass maps for this region, prohibits other downstream activities such as evaluations of the associated ecosystem services and implementation of potential conservation and management tools. Here we present efforts to map seagrass meadows along the Israeli coast of the northern Gulf of Aqaba. Mapping was done by snorkeling with a GPS and a handheld echo-sounder. Transects perpendicular to the shore were conducted with measurements taken every 10-20 m that included water depth, GPS position and percent of seagrass cover estimated visually up to 13-23 m depending on visibility. In addition to these transects, we also tracked the shallow boundary of the meadows parallel to shore, usually at 3-5 m depth. Both data sets were then fed into Arc-GIS to create an interpolated GIS layer. Out of 11 km available shoreline, we swam along 9.7 km and collected a total of 2830 data points. Seagrasses were found growing along 7.5 km of these shores, with seagrass meadows covering 707,000 sqm2.estimated to be worth = US$ 2,000,000 year-1 in associated ecosystem services. In addition to mapping the seagrass meadows themselvs, we also mapped the potential dangers to seagrasses in the region. Disturbances were ranked as low, medium or high according to severity and frequency. We expect that these maps (GIS layers) will allow us to not only understand the current distribution of seagrasses in the area, but also to develop a GIS-based tool that will improve our understanding of how changes in the Gulf could affect the cover and state of seagrasses, and thus improve conservation efforts in the region.


Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1388
Author(s):  
Diana Mancilla-Ruiz ◽  
Francisco de la Barrera ◽  
Sergio González ◽  
Ana Huaico

(1) Background: Megafires have affected several regions in the world (e.g., Australia, California), including, in 2017, the central and south-central zones of Chile. These areas represent real laboratories to monitor the impacts on the sustainability of landscapes and their recovery after fires. The present research examines the modification of dynamics and the provision of ecosystem services by a megafire in a Mediterranean landscape in central Chile, combining remote sensing technologies and ecosystem service assessments. (2) Methods: Land cover and spectral indices (NBRI, BAIS-2, NDVI, and EVI) were measured using Sentinel-2 imagery, while the provision of ecosystem services was evaluated using an expert-based matrix. (3) Results: The megafire affected forest plantations, formerly the dominant land cover, as well as other ecosystems, e.g., native forests. After five years, the landscape is dominated by exotic shrublands and grasslands. (4) Conclusions: The megafire caused a loss of 50% of the landscape’s capacity to supply ecosystem services. Given that native forests are the best provider of ecosystem services in this landscape, restoration is a key to recovering landscape sustainability.


2009 ◽  
Vol 258 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Lara ◽  
C. Little ◽  
R. Urrutia ◽  
J. McPhee ◽  
C. Álvarez-Garretón ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solène Guenat ◽  
Gabriel Porras Lopez ◽  
David D Mkwambisi ◽  
Martin Dallimer

Urban greenspaces underpin ecosystem service provision in cities and are therefore indispensable for human well-being. Nevertheless, they are increasingly disappearing from cities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding how the stakeholders influencing urban greenspace management perceive the benefits provided by urban greenspaces and the challenges to its conservation and management is critical for reversing this trend. Using Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe, as a case study, we conducted 44 semi-structured interviews to explore the profiles and perceptions of stakeholders who currently hold influence over greenspace planning, conservation and management. Stakeholders with influence over urban greenspace management described the main focus of their organisation as relating to urban planning, natural resources protection and management, development work, or the hospitality business sector. Critically, only a third of all stakeholders focused on natural resources protection and management. Stakeholders had nuanced and varied appreciations of the benefits that greenspaces provide. Regulation and maintenance ecosystem services, as well as cultural services were frequently mentioned. However, provisioning services were mostly mentioned by those in development work. Stakeholders also identified an additional suite of societal benefits that do not directly map onto ecosystem service frameworks, such as the generation of financial income and the provision of employment opportunities. Challenges identified as hampering the planning, conservation and management of greenspaces included inappropriate urbanisation, lack of coordination and participation, and population growth. Lack of coordination was however not widely acknowledged among those focusing on natural resources protection, who conversely identified population growth more often than any other groups. Highlighting how stakeholders with varying priorities perceive ecosystem services a first step towards improving greenspaces management both for their better acceptation and for improving their potential for biodiversity conservation. Specifically, we bring attention to need for stakeholders working with natural resources protection to recognise more the need for collaborations and engagement. Additional research is also necessary to understand how those different perspectives might be integrated into ongoing processes and procedures to manage greenspaces in Sub-Saharan Africa.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Esse ◽  
Rodrigo Santander-Massa ◽  
Francisco Encina-Montoya ◽  
Patricio De los Ríos ◽  
David Fonseca ◽  
...  

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