scholarly journals The Importance of Cultural Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity for Landscape Visitors in the Biosphere Reserve Swabian Alb (Germany)

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Marie Müller ◽  
Jasmin Peisker ◽  
Claudia Bieling ◽  
Kathrin Linnemann ◽  
Konrad Reidl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Local Decision ◽  
Swabian Alb

Agricultural landscapes play an important role in providing different ecosystem services. However, the current trend of land use intensification in Central Europe involves the risk of trade-offs between them. Since cultural ecosystem services (CES) are less tangible, they are often underrepresented in landscape management decisions. To highlight this subject we evaluated CES in agro-ecosystems in the biosphere reserve Swabian Alb (Southwestern Germany). We conducted a survey among visitors to investigate their usage of the landscape, their perception as well as valuation of CES, and interrelations with biodiversity. The results show the presence of various types of usage related to cultural services, the most prominent being recreation and landscape aesthetics. People declared a high affinity to nature and biodiversity awareness. A participatory mapping task revealed their appreciation of biodiverse and ecologically relevant places such as protected species-rich grasslands, traditional orchards and hedgerows. Several socio-demographic differences emerged, e.g., between age classes and local/non-local visitors. We conclude that our exemplary methodical approach was successful in capturing the CES and their link to biodiversity in the investigated biosphere reserve, while identifying priority fields of action concerning the integration of CES into management and planning of cultural landscapes, ultimately serving as guides for local decision-makers.

scholarly journals Improving the knowledge of plant potential biodiversity-ecosystem services links using maps at the regional level in Southern Patagonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yamina Micaela Rosas ◽  
Pablo L. Peri ◽  
María Vanessa Lencinas ◽  
Romina Lasagno ◽  
Guillermo J. Martínez Pastur
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Southern Patagonia

Abstract Background Biodiversity supports multiple ecosystem services, whereas species loss endangers the provision of many services and affects ecosystem resilience and resistance capacity. The increase of remote sensing techniques allows to estimate biodiversity and ecosystem services supply at the landscape level in areas with low available data (e.g. Southern Patagonia). This paper evaluates the potential biodiversity and how it links with ecosystem services, based on vascular plant species across eight ecological areas. We also evaluated the habitat plant requirements and their relation with natural gradients. A total of 977 plots were used to develop habitat suitability maps based on an environmental niche factor analysis of 15 more important indicator species for each ecological area (n = 53 species) using 40 explanatory variables. Finally, these maps were combined into a single potential biodiversity map, which was linked with environmental variables and ecosystem services supply. For comparisons, data were extracted and compared through analyses of variance. Results The plant habitat requirements varied greatly among the different ecological areas, and it was possible to define groups according to its specialization and marginality indexes. The potential biodiversity map allowed us to detect coldspots in the western mountains and hotspots in southern and eastern areas. Higher biodiversity was associated to higher temperatures and normalized difference vegetation index, while lower biodiversity was related to elevation and rainfall. Potential biodiversity was closely associated with supporting and provisioning ecosystem services in shrublands and grasslands in the humid steppe, while the lowest values were related to cultural ecosystem services in Nothofagus forests. Conclusions The present study showed that plant species present remarkable differences in spatial distributions and ecological requirements, being a useful proxy for potential biodiversity modelling. Potential biodiversity values change across ecological areas allowing to identify hotspots and coldspots, a useful tool for landscape management and conservation strategies. In addition, links with ecosystem services detect potential synergies and trade-offs, where areas with the lowest potential biodiversity are related to cultural ecosystem services (e.g. aesthetic values) and areas with the greatest potential biodiversity showed threats related to productive activities (e.g. livestock).

scholarly journals Participatory Mapping of Demand for Ecosystem Services in Agricultural Landscapes

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1193
Author(s):  
Carmen Schwartz ◽  
Mostafa Shaaban ◽  
Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura ◽  
Annette Piorr
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
The Body ◽  
Poor Correlation ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Stakeholder Workshop

Agricultural land use systems have been optimized for producing provisioning ecosystem services (ES) in the past few decades, often at the expense of regulating and cultural services. Research has focused mainly on the supply side of ES and related trade-offs, but the demand side for regulatory services remains largely neglected. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness of participatory geographic information system (PGIS) methods for demand assessment in larger rural and agrarian contexts by identifying spatially explicit demand patterns for ES, thereby enlarging the body of participatory approaches to ES-based land use management. Accordingly, we map, assess, and statistically and spatially analyze different demands for five ES by different stakeholder groups in agricultural landscapes in three case studies. The results are presented in a stakeholder workshop and prerequisites for collaborative ES management are discussed. Our results show that poor correlation exists between stakeholder groups and demands for ES; however, arable land constitutes the highest share of the mapped area of demands for the five ES. These results have been validated by both the survey and the stakeholder workshop. Our study concludes that PGIS represents a useful tool to link demand assessments and landscape management systematically, especially for decision support systems.

scholarly journals Ecosystem Services for Scenic Quality Landscape Management: A Review

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1123
Author(s):  
Richard Smardon
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Landscape Planning ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment ◽  
Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽  
Management Implications ◽  
Comprehensive Literature Review ◽  
Visual Landscape ◽  
Landscape Quality

Since the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Project proposed the valuation of ecosystem services—defined as regulatory, provisional, ecosystem and cultural—the question arises as to the utility of such assessments for scenic landscape management. This author as well as others has looked at the issue of integrating ecological concerns with landscape planning. This article will be a comprehensive literature review and analysis of issues involved with utilizing ecosystem services of assessment of scenic/visual landscape quality as well as management implications. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of cultural ecosystem services.

scholarly journals Perceived Effects of Elephants (Loxodonta africana Cuvier) Presence and Impacts on Ecosystem Services Supply in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve, West Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 194008291986597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isidore Gnonlonfoun ◽  
Barthélémy Kassa ◽  
Fortuné Azihou ◽  
Sylvanus Mensah ◽  
Romain Lucas Glèlè Kakaï ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Perceived Effects ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Riparian Communities

Information on how biotic factors influence delivery of ecosystem services (ES) in natural systems is important for holistic landscape management. In this study, we assessed the perceived effects of elephants’ presence on ES supply in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in West Africa. A total of 112 respondents, including riparian communities and reserve officials, were interviewed. First, we used ranking techniques based on stakeholders’ perceptions to evaluate differences in perceived importance of ES. Second, we assessed the perceived impact of elephants on ES supply from both direction and intensity perspective. Third, we assessed the economic importance of threatened ESs and elephants’ damages related economic losses incurred by households. Twenty-seven ES were enumerated, 13 provisioning ES, 12 cultural ES, and two from the regulating and maintenance ES category. Provisioning ES were perceived as the most important although not significantly different from other categories. PES were also found to be most affected negatively by elephants’ impacts. However, elephants’ presence increased supply of cultural ES. The average cost of the losses due to elephants’ negative impacts ranged from $174.80 to $586.05 per year and per victim household. These results were discussed in relation to management actions necessary to facilitate coexistence between elephant and local populations.

scholarly journals Challenges to Build up a Collaborative Landscape Management (CLM)—Lessons from a Stakeholder Analysis in Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 580-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Zscheischler ◽  
Maria Busse ◽  
Nico Heitepriem
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Stakeholder Analysis ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Collaborative Problem Solving ◽  
Management Approach

Abstract Traditional cultural landscapes are of special value not only for reasons of nature conservation and high species diversity but also because they intersect with the identity of local communities, support recreation and tourism, and preserve cultural heritage. Structural changes in rural areas threaten these unique sceneries and environments in Europe and worldwide. As a result, the question of how to maintain and manage cultural landscapes where economic benefits are not assured has become a priority in science and in practice. Considering this context, community-based collaborative landscape management (CLM) can be considered an innovative and promising approach. This paper presents results from a stakeholder analysis examining the preconditions and opportunities for initiating a CLM in the biosphere reserve known as ‘Spreewald’. The results indicate that due to the type of problem (landscape change)—which is characterised by complexity, beneficial linkages to a multitude of actor groups, and broad problem awareness—CLM appears to be feasible. However, other preconditions related to social relationships among actor groups, questions of legitimate coordination and the collaborative capacity of the community are not met, thus reducing the likelihood of success. To address these challenges, we discuss the potential of transdisciplinary processes (TD) to assist local communities in establishing such a collaborative problem-solving and management approach. We show that TD is highly valuable and supportive during this critical stage of emerging collaboration.

scholarly journals Social Valuation of Mediterranean Cultural Landscapes: Exploring Landscape Preferences and Ecosystem Services Perceptions through a Visual Approach

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 390
Author(s):  
Íñigo Bidegain ◽  
César A. López-Santiago ◽  
José A. González ◽  
Rodrigo Martínez-Sastre ◽  
Federica Ravera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
Landscape Planning ◽  
Pine Plantations ◽  
Mediterranean Forests ◽  
Clear Preference ◽  
Sierra Morena ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Related Group

Mediterranean cultural landscapes have been recognized as multifunctional landscapes that are currently threatened by two opposing trends: rural abandonment and agricultural intensification. Uncovering people’s perceptions of different landscape configurations, and how inhabitants value the contributions of nature to human wellbeing, is essential to understanding current landscape trends. In this study, we analyze the social perception of the cultural landscapes of Sierra Morena (Andalusia, Spain) based on 389 face-to-face visual questionnaires in an attempt to understand individuals’ landscape preferences, the reasons behind those preferences and how those landscapes are perceived as suppliers of ecosystem services by different groups of stakeholders. Four groups of stakeholders were identified that differed in how they perceive and value the cultural landscape. An urban-related group was characterized by their preferences for pine plantations and “green” landscapes, guided mostly by aesthetic criteria. A livestock-related group showed a clear preference for wood–pasture landscapes (dehesas) due to their ability to supply multiple ecosystem services. An environmentally aware group showed preferences for dehesas and Mediterranean forests, mainly guided by ecological criteria. Finally, an olive-related group showed a clear preference for olive grove landscapes as key for the regional economy and their cultural identity. Overall, the local inhabitants of Sierra Morena perceived a higher supply of ecosystem services in moderately disturbed landscapes, such as dehesas and mosaic landscapes, than in highly disturbed ones, such as conventional olive groves and pine plantations, or in less used landscapes, such as the Mediterranean forest. Understanding the differences in valuation/demand for ecosystem services among groups of stakeholders, characterized by their landscape preferences, provides important information with which to identify potential trade-offs and conflicts, thereby providing insights into the improvement of landscape planning and decision making.

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