Local Perceptions of Ecosystem Services Across Multiple Ecosystem Types in Spain

Marina García-Llorente, Antonio J. Castro, Cristina Quintas-Soriano, Elisa Oteros-Rozas, Irene Iniesta-Arandia, José A. González, David García del Amo, Marta Hernández-Arroyo, Izaskun Casado-Arzuaga, Ignacio Palomo, Erik Gómez-Baggethun, Miren Onaindia, Carlos Montes and Berta Martín-López
Additional contact information
Marina García-Llorente: Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Antonio J. Castro: Andalusian Center for the Assessment and Monitoring of Global Change (CAESCG), Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almeria, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Cristina Quintas-Soriano: FRACTAL Collective, San Remigio 2, 28022 Madrid, Spain
Elisa Oteros-Rozas: FRACTAL Collective, San Remigio 2, 28022 Madrid, Spain
Irene Iniesta-Arandia: FRACTAL Collective, San Remigio 2, 28022 Madrid, Spain
José A. González: Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
David García del Amo: Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Edifici Z (ICTA-ICP), Carrer de les Columnes s/n, Campus de la UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Marta Hernández-Arroyo: Asociación Ecología y Educación para una Ciudad Sostenible—Transitando, C/Cavanilles 10, 5D, 28007 Madrid, Spain
Izaskun Casado-Arzuaga: Departamento de Desarrollo Económico, Sostenibilidad y Medio Ambiente del Gobierno Vasco, C/Donostia-San Sebastián, 1, 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alava, Spain
Ignacio Palomo: Basque Center for Climate Change (BC3), Alameda Donaindiae Urquijo 4, 48008 Bilbao, Spain
Erik Gómez-Baggethun: Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway
Miren Onaindia: Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
Carlos Montes: Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Berta Martín-López: Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany

Land, 2020, vol. 9, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Combining socio-cultural valuations of ecosystem services with ecological and monetary assessments is critical to informing decision making with an integrative and multi-pronged approach. This study examined differences in the perceptions of ecosystem service supply and diversity across eight major ecosystem types in Spain and scrutinized the social and ecological factors shaping these perceptions. First, we implemented 1932 face-to-face questionnaires among local inhabitants to assess perceptions of ecosystem service supply. Second, we created an ecosystem service diversity index to measure the perceived diversity of services considering agroecosystems, Mediterranean mountains, arid systems, two aquatic continental systems, coastal ecosystems and two urban ecosystems. Finally, we examined the influence of biophysical, socio-demographic and institutional factors in shaping ecosystem service perceptions. Overall, cultural services were the most widely perceived, followed by provisioning and regulating services. Provisioning services were most strongly associated with agroecosystems, mountains and coastal systems, whereas cultural services were associated with urban ecosystems and regulating services were specifically linked with agroecosystems, mountains and urban recreational areas. The highest service diversity index values corresponded to agroecosystems, mountains and wetlands. Our results also showed that socio-demographic factors, such as place of origin (urban vs. rural) and educational level, as well as institutional factors, such as management and access regimes, shaped the perception of ecosystem services.

Keywords: ecosystem service diversity; governance; local communities; place-based approach; socio-cultural valuation; social perception (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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