Quantification of the potential impact of nature conservation on ecosystem services supply in the Flemish Region: A cascade modelling approach

Jan Staes, Steven Broekx, Katrien Van Der Biest, Dirk Vrebos, Beauchard Olivier, Leo De Nocker, Inge Liekens, Lien Poelmans, Kris Verheyen, Panis Jeroen and Patrick Meire

Ecosystem Services, 2017, vol. 24, issue C, 124-137

Abstract: Ecological networks of protected areas are critical elements to protect biodiversity. To achieve a minimal performance of such networks, measures and investments are necessary for nature restoration and management. The concept of ecosystem service (ES) can provide additional arguments for investments in ecological networks. However, ES delivery processes are embedded in a complex array of ecological processes and there is a need to cope with this complexity in a pragmatic manner. As many assessment studies have already been criticized for using oversimplified indicators, too much pragmatism may foreclose credibility and acceptance of ES assessments. Therefore, a cascade ES modelling approach was developed that incorporated ecological processes, multiple off-site effects, feedbacks and trade-off mechanisms through shared variables. The assessment focused on which services the existing network delivers and how these services are influenced after realization of site specific conservation objectives.

Keywords: Ecosystem services; Land use change; Modelling; Ecological network; NATURA 2000 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041616303722
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:24:y:2017:i:c:p:124-137

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.02.020

Access Statistics for this article

Ecosystem Services is currently edited by Leon C Braat

More articles in Ecosystem Services from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().