银川植物园城市森林生态系统服务功能评价

为确定城市森林生态系统服务功能,本研究以银川植物园为研究对象,调查统计银川植物园不同植被类型的涵养水源、固碳释氧、保育土壤、净化大气环境、保护生物多样性、积累营养物质、森林游憩等生态功能,并以货币的形式直观地展现森林服务功能的价值。研究结果表明,银川植物园森林生态系统服务功能总价值5524329.89元/年,各功能指标表现为森林游憩(33.66%)生物多样性保护(17.56%)固碳释氧(17.18%)保育土壤(13.46%)净化空气(13.20%)涵养水源(3.09%)积累营养物质(1.85%)。不同植被类型的平均单位面积生态服务功能价值排序差异明显。城市森林生态系统的多功能评价可以为银川植物园可持续发展与生态环境建设政策的制定提供科学依据,提高对森林生态效益和林业生态建设的认识,对进一步加快生态文明建设步伐具有重要意义。     

上海东平国家森林公园森林生态系统服务功能特点及价值评估

依据《森林生态系统服务功能评估规范》(GB/T 38582-2020),结合上海市森林资源监测成果数据,构建了上海东平森林公园森林生态系统服务功能价值评估指标体系,对上海东平森林公园森林生态系统服务功能价值进行了评估。结果表明:上海东平森林公园森林生态系统服务功能总价值为7703.84万元,每1hm2森林提供的价值量为21.40万元。7项生态系统服务功能价值量从大到小的顺序为:森林康养(50.32%)净化大气环境(28.93%)固碳释氧(12.23%)涵养水源(3.01%)生物多样性保护(3.00%)保育土壤(1.46%)林木积累营养物质(1.05%),森林康养和净化大气环境是上海东平国家森林公园森林的主体功能。与同类研究相比,上海东平国家森林公园森林生态系统服务功能总价值量不高,但是单位面积森林提供的价值量超过同类研究的3倍多。     

东江源区森林净化环境价值核算

森林具有涵养水源、保育土壤、固碳释氧、净化环境、丰富生物多样性、生态旅游等多方面的生态价值.本文在东江源区森林调查的基础上,就净化环境方面,采用重置成本法、现行市价法、影子价格法和年金资本法等不同方法进行核算,得出源区森林净化环境的价值为49.88亿元/年.     

莲花县大乐坪林场森林涵养水源和净化水质及保育土壤价值核算

根据资料核算莲花县大乐坪林场的林地、立木直接经济价值为8483.99万元/a,现将其森林总面积3622.67hm2的生态服务功能中的森林涵养水源和净化水质及保育土壤价值进行核算。     

鄱阳湖生态经济区森林涵养水源和净化水质及固碳释氧价值核算——以万年县为例

鄱阳湖生态经济区助推江西经济社会的快速发展，已带动全省“巨变”。造林绿化“一大四小”工程建设。“五河一湖”流域保护等各项林业建设取得了丰硕成果。万年县地处鄱阳湖区山地丘陵向平原过渡中间地带，林业的发展极为重要。本文对万年县森林涵养水源和净化水质及固碳释氧经济价值进行核算，评估出价值为35．14亿元。     

河北省小五台山国家级自然保护区森林生态系统服务功能价值评估

对河北小五台山国家级自然保护区的森林生态系统服务功能价值进行了评估。结果表明：小五台山自然保护区森林生态系统服务总价值29532.29万元/a，其中间接经济价值28 753.38万元/a，占总价值的97.36％。其直接经济价值778.91万元/a，占总价值的2.64％。直接经济价值与间接经济价值的比值是1∶36.91。...     

基于“压力-状态-潜力”框架的生态修复分区与修正研究

以唐山市为例，将生态安全格局与修复分区相结合，实现点线面共同指导分区。首先基于“压力—状态—潜力”框架，利用z-score标准化，在乡镇尺度上进行国土空间生态修复分区；其次构建生态安全格局，采用形态学空间格局分析与景观连通性提取生态源地，利用最小累积阻力模型识别生态廊道；最终通过生态安全格局对生态修复分区进行修正。结果表明：(1)研究区高退化压力区主要位于城市中部及各县区中心，并向四周递减；生态系统服务状态分布为北高中低，且高值区向低值区存在明显过渡；恢复潜力为由北向南先减少后增多。(2)修正后生态修复分区划分为生态保育区、生态潜在恢复区、生态优先修复区、生态修复治理区、生态修复利用区5大类型区，其中生态保育区依据生态源地与廊道所在位置划为一级保育区、二级保育区。     

鄱阳湖生态经济区森林涵养水源和净化水质及固碳释氧价值核算——以万年县为例

鄱阳湖生态经济区助推江西经济社会的快速发展,已带动全省"巨变"。造林绿化"一大四小"工程建设,"五河一湖"流域保护等各项林业建设取得了丰硕成果。万年县地处鄱阳湖区山地丘陵向平原过渡中间地带,林业的发展极为重要,本文对万年县森林涵养水源和净化水质及固碳释氧经济价值进行核算,评估出价值为35.14亿元。     

马尾松混交林的土壤持水性以及肥力研究

森林具有较为强大的涵养水源和保持水土的能力,具有较高的经济价值和生态价值,对于促进社会生态安全具有十分重要的作用。不同的树种会使林地的林冠层、凋落物层等结构有所不同,从而在水土和肥力保持上呈现出一定程度的差异。相关研究表明,相比于纯林,混交林在保持土壤的水、肥力以及减少病虫害等方面具有较好的表现。以马尾松混交林作为研究对象,探讨了其在土壤持水性以及肥力方面的性能。     

基于价值—风险的阜平县生态分区研究

为了探究阜平县生态风险，以2010年、2015年、2020年土地利用数据为基础，采用生态系统服务模型、景观生态风险模型，对二者的时空演变特征进行了定量分析，通过Z-score标准化划分了4类生态分区，揭示了阜平县生态环境时空演变特征。结果表明：(1)6种地类均有不同程度的改变，耕地增加最多，草地减少最多。高价值区主要分布于夏庄乡、龙泉关镇西部等林地、草地植被覆盖度高、水热条件较好的地区。阜平县以调节服务为主，且林地提供价值最高。(2)阜平县以较低生态风险区为主，占总面积的50%以上。在空间上呈“东南高、西北低”的分布特征。高生态风险区分布于北果园乡、王林口镇等区域，此区域人口数量多、景观类型细碎、零散分布。(3)4类生态分区变化程度较小，表明阜平县处于较为稳定的状态，高生态系统服务价值—低生态风险区(Ⅳ)占比最高，低生态系统服务价值—低生态风险区(Ⅲ)占比最低。通过生态分区研究，可为防范和降低区域生态风险与协调人地关系提供理论基础。     

Urban forest usage and perception of ecosystem services – A comparison between teenagers and adults

Urban forests provide multiple ecosystem services for a range of user groups. However, teenagers are commonly underrepresented in studies about forest recreation and cultural ecosystem services. This paper examines teenagers' forest use and perception of ecosystem services compared to adult populations. We used an online panel survey to elicit motives for forest visits, frequency of visits, forest activities and constraints for visitation, and what ecosystem services participants expect from forests more generally. We then elicited perceived cultural ecosystem services of different forests by showing participants photographs of forest inventory plots for which we had detailed measures of physical forest characteristics to statistically assess the influence of forest characteristics and other parameters on perceived cultural ecosystem services. Results show that teenagers visit forests less often and also differ from adults in their preferences and activities, their motives for forest visits and reasons for not visiting forests. Teenagers exhibit more social and active forms of forest use, whereas adults use forests in more contemplative ways. Perception of cultural ecosystem services on forest photos was influenced by individual factors such as motives for forest visits, preferences, importance of forest during childhood and socio-demographic factors. Environment- and forest-related factors such as forest type, stand structure and single elements such as root plates and stumps had an influence on ecosystem service perception. We conclude that teenagers have different needs than adults concerning the provision of cultural ecosystem services from forests and therefore should be considered as a user group of its own in the management of recreational forests.     

How good are tropical forest patches for ecosystem services provisioning?

Native forests play an important role regarding ecosystem services related to biodiversity, water, and nutrient cycling, and the intensity of those services should be related to the amount, configuration and quality of the forest. However, in highly dynamic landscapes, such as some tropical regions, ecosystem services are potentially affected not only by the present landscape structure, but also by the historical land use. Here we propose a simple methodological framework to evaluate the contribution of past landscape dynamics and present landscape structure in the provision of ecosystem services. We applied this framework to a traditional agricultural landscape from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest hotspot, where natural forests cover has increased from 8 to 16 % in the last 60 years (1962–2008), and where old forests are being reduced while young forests are being regenerated. Forests of different ages, in association with current landscape structure, reveal a mosaic of forest patches under different conditions, implying different abilities to deliver ecosystem services. With the replacement of old-growth forests by young-regenerating forests and a high level of forest fragmentation, less than 1/4 of the current forest cover is able to fully satisfy the ecosystem service demands. To avoid such tendency, government policies should not only focus on increasing forest cover, but also in conserving old-growth forest fragments or increasing forest quality. The proposed methodology allows integrating historical land use and current landscape structure to evaluate ecosystem services provision and can be useful to establish programs of payment for ecosystem services.     

The inclusion of stakeholders and cultural ecosystem services in land management trade-off decisions using an ecosystem services approach

Context

An ecosystem service approach for land-use or conservation decisions normally uses economic or biophysical assessments for valuating nature’s services. In contrast, even though ecosystem services are required for human well-being, the actual use of services by differing stakeholder groups are rarely considered in typical ecosystem service assessments, especially the more intangible, cultural ecosystem services.

Objectives

The aim of this research was to quantify different uses for 15 cultural and provisioning ecosystem service indicators across seven stakeholder groups in a watershed proposed with large hydroelectric dam development.

Methods

We used a large-scale survey to quantify use and frequency of use for ecosystem services.

Results

We demonstrate that different stakeholder groups use ecosystem services differently, both in terms of specific ecosystem service indicators, as well as for frequency of ecosystem service use. Across all stakeholder groups, specific cultural ecosystem services were consistently more important to participants when compared to provisioning ecosystem services, especially aesthetic/scenic values.

Conclusions

This work is of global importance as it highlights the importance of considering cultural ecosystem services (e.g. aesthetic/scenic, sense-of-place values) along with multiple stakeholder groups to identify the trade-offs and synergies during decision-making processes for land-use or conservation initiatives.

     

Spatial patterns of cultural ecosystem services provision in Southern Patagonia

Context

Although there is a need to develop a spatially explicit methodological approach that addresses the social importance of cultural ecosystem services for regional planning, few studies have analysed the spatial distribution on the cultural ecosystem services based on social perceptions.

Objective

The main objective of this study was to identify cultural ecosystem service hot-spots, and factors that characterize such hot-spots and define the spatial associations between cultural ecosystem services in Southern Patagonia (Argentina).

Methods

The study was carried out in Southern Patagonia (243.9 thousand km²) located between 46° and 55° SL with the Andes mountains on the western fringe and the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern fringe of the study area. The study region has a range of different vegetation types (grasslands, shrub-lands, peat-lands and forests) though the cold arid steppe is the main vegetation type. We used geo-tagged digital images that local people and visitors posted in the Panoramio web platform to identify hot-spots of four cultural ecosystem services (aesthetic value, existence value, recreation and local identity) and relate these hot-spots with social and biophysical landscape features.

Results

Aesthetic value was the main cultural service tagged by people, followed by the existence value for biodiversity conservation, followed by local identity and then recreational activity. The spatial distribution of these cultural ecosystem services are associated with different social and biophysical characteristics, such as the presence of water bodies, vegetation types, marine and terrestrial fauna, protected areas, urbanization, accessibility and tourism offer. The most important factors are the presence of water in Santa Cruz and tourism offer in Tierra del Fuego.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that this methodology is useful for assessing cultural ecosystem services at the regional scale, especially in areas with low data availability and field accessibility, such as Southern Patagonia. We also identify new research challenges that can be addressed in cultural ecosystem services research through the use of this method.

     

Regional land-cover conversion in the U.S. upper Midwest: magnitude of change and limited recovery (1850–1935–1993)

Land-use legacies can persist for hundreds to thousands of years, influencing plant species composition, nutrient cycling, water flows, and climate. To understand how land use has affected regional land-cover composition in Wisconsin (USA), we assessed the magnitude and direction of change in land cover between: (1) c.1850, at the onset of Euro-American settlement; (2) c.1935, the period of maximum clearing for agriculture following widespread forest logging; and (3) 1993, which, especially in northern Wisconsin, follows farm abandonment and forest recovery. We derived land-cover maps using U.S. Public Land Survey records (c.1850), the Wisconsin Land Economic Inventory (c.1935), and Landsat TM satellite data (1993). We stratified Wisconsin (145,000 km²) into two ecological provinces and used spatial error models, multinomial logistic regression, and non-metric multi-dimensional scaling ordination to examine change. Between 1850 and 1935, forest cover in the North declined from 84% to 56%, cropland increased to 24%, and mixed/coniferous forests and savannas were replaced by deciduous forests. In the South, formerly dominant savannas (69%) and prairies (6%) were mostly converted to cropland (51%) and pasture (11%). Remnant deciduous savannas and coniferous forests and savannas were replaced by deciduous forests. Remarkably little recovery to pre-settlement land-cover classes occurred from 1935 to 1993. Less cropland was abandoned than expected, and there was little net gain in coniferous/mixed forest. Based on these general land-cover classes, current cover is significantly different from that in 1850, but not from that in 1935, and thus continues to reflect historical logging and agricultural patterns. These results provide a historical framework for measuring associated changes in ecosystem function and can be used to guide restoration where desirable and feasible.     

Influence of residents’ place attachment on heritage forest conservation awareness in a peri-urban area of Guangzhou,China

This study explored the role of community place attachment on heritage forest (feng shui woodland) conservation awareness in the peri-urban areas of Guangzhou. Questionnaire surveys were administered to glean the views of the local residents living near heritage forests. The results suggested that residents’ place attachment was significantly associated with positive perceptions, attitudes and ecologically responsible behaviours towards the heritage forests in their community. The findings revealed that traditional and cultural aspects can be an important focus of attention for local residents with higher levels of place attachment, as heritage forests offer not only ecosystem services but also feng shui value—a traditional vernacular belief in South China. This study clearly demonstrated that cultural bonding can be an important element in facilitating the environmental awareness of the local residents regarding heritage forest conservation.     

Spatial determinants of Atlantic Forest loss and recovery in Brazil

Context

Despite continued forest cover losses in many parts of the world, Atlantic Forest, one of the largest of the Americas, is increasing in some locations. Economic factors are suggested as causes of forest gain, while enforcement has reduced deforestation.

Objectives

We examine three aspects of this issue: the relative importance of biophysical versus anthropogenic factors in driving forest dynamics; role of forest mean patch age influencing areas targeted for losses; and what future forest mean patch age mosaic we can expect (more forest cover and full forest maturity?).

Methods

Three land cover maps from 1990, 2000 and 2010, were used in the study. We selected six biophysical and six anthropogenic spatial determinants to analyze by means of weights of evidence, using Dinamica software.

Results

Results show that forest regrowth is influenced by multiple factors, working in synergy. Biophysical variables are related to forest gain while anthropogenic are associated with loss. Clear patterns of regrowth on pasture and sugarcane plantations occurred, especially near rivers and forest patches, on steeper slopes and with sufficient rainfall. Forest loss has targeted both older and newer forests. Future projections reveal forest gain in a slow pace, followed by specific ecosystem service losses, due to continuous trends of older mature forest loss.

Conclusions

Regrowth is linked to land abandonment, and to neighboring environmental conditions. It is important to question which mechanisms will guarantee and potentiate new regrowth, thus contributing to landscape restoration and reestablishment of ecosystem services in the Atlantic Forest.

     

Multi-functional landscapes in semi arid environments: implications for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Synergies between biodiversity conservation objectives and ecosystem service management were investigated in the Succulent Karoo biome (83,000 km²) of South Africa, a recognised biodiversity hotspot. Our study complemented a previous biodiversity assessment with an ecosystem service assessment. Stakeholder engagement and expert consultation focussed our investigations on surface water, ground water, grazing and tourism as the key services in this region. The key ecosystem services and service hotspots were modelled and mapped. The congruence between these services, and between biodiversity priorities and ecosystem service priorities, were assessed and considered in relation to known threats. Generally low levels of overlap were found between these ecosystem services, with the exception of surface and ground water which had an 80% overlap. The overlap between ecosystem service hotspots and individual biodiversity priority areas was generally low. Four of the seven priority areas assessed have more than 20% of their areas classified as important for services. In specific cases, particular service levels could be used to justify the management of a specific biodiversity priority area for conservation. Adopting a biome scale hotspot approach to assessing service supply highlighted key management areas. However, it underplayed local level dependence on particular services, not effectively capturing the welfare implications associated with diminishing and limited service provision. We conclude that regional scale (biome level) approaches need to be combined with local level investigations (municipal level). Given the regional heterogeneity and varied nature of the impacts of drivers and threats, diverse approaches are required to steer land management towards sustainable multifunctional landscape strategies.     

Disaggregating ecosystem services and disservices in the cultural landscapes of southwestern Ethiopia: a study of rural perceptions

Context

Cultural landscapes provide essential ecosystem services to local communities, especially in poor rural settings. However, potentially negative impacts of ecosystems—or disservices—remain inadequately understood. Similarly, how benefit–cost outcomes differ within communities is unclear, but potentially important for cultural landscape management.

Objectives

Here we investigated whether distinct forest ecosystem service–disservice outcomes emerge within local communities. We aimed to characterize groups of community members according to service–disservice outcomes, and assessed their attitudes towards the forest.

Methods

We interviewed 150 rural households in southwestern Ethiopia about locally relevant ecosystem services (provisioning services) and disservices (wildlife impacts). Households were grouped based on their ecosystem service–disservice profiles through hierarchical clustering. We used linear models to assess differences between groups in geographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as attitudes toward the forest.

Results

We identified three groups with distinct ecosystem service–disservice profiles. Half of the households fell into a “lose–lose” profile (low benefits, high costs), while fewer had “lose–escape” (low benefits, low costs) and “win–lose” (high benefits, high costs) profiles. Location relative to forest and altitude explained differences between the “lose–escape” profile and other households. Socioeconomic factors were also important. “Win–lose” households appeared to be wealthier and had better forest use rights compared to “lose–lose” households. Attitudes towards the forest did not differ between profiles.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates the importance of disaggregating both ecosystem services and disservices, instead of assuming that communities receive benefits and costs homogenously. To manage cultural landscapes sustainably, such heterogeneity must be acknowledged and better understood.