Finding the Green Grass in the Haystack? Integrated National Assessment of Ecosystem Services and Condition in Hungary, in Support of Conservation and Planning

Eszter Tanács (), Ágnes Vári, Ákos Bede-Fazekas, András Báldi, Edina Csákvári, Anett Endrédi, Veronika Fabók, Lívia Kisné Fodor, Márton Kiss, Péter Koncz, Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki, János Mészáros, László Pásztor, Rita Rezneki, Tibor Standovár, Zita Zsembery and Katalin Török
Additional contact information
Eszter Tanács: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Ágnes Vári: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Ákos Bede-Fazekas: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
András Báldi: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Edina Csákvári: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Anett Endrédi: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary
Veronika Fabók: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Lívia Kisné Fodor: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation Department, H-1055 Budapest, Hungary
Márton Kiss: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Péter Koncz: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
János Mészáros: Institute for Soil Sciences Centre for Agricultural Research, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary
László Pásztor: Institute for Soil Sciences Centre for Agricultural Research, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary
Rita Rezneki: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Tibor Standovár: Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
Zita Zsembery: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
Katalin Török: Centre for Ecological Research Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2–4, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-28

Abstract: Human well-being needs healthy ecosystems, providing multiple ecosystem services. Therefore, the assessment of ecosystems on large scales is a priority action. In Hungary, this work (MAES-HU) took place between 2016 and 2022. Twelve ecosystem services (ES) were mapped and assessed along with several ecosystem condition (EC) indicators. Their integrated spatial analysis aimed to identify patterns of ES multifunctionality, reveal relationships between EC and ES and delineate ES bundles. The results show outstanding multifunctionality of natural ecosystem types compared with the more artificial types, emphasizing the importance of natural areas in order to fulfil human needs. Native forests provide the most varied range of services, which underlines the importance of forest management to consider multiple services. There is a positive correlation between condition and multifunctionality in forests; areas in better condition (in terms of species composition and structure) provide more services at an outstanding level. ES bundles mainly reflect the major ecosystem types, topography and forest condition. Our analysis represents an example of synthesizing national MAES results with a combination of methods. Finding ES hotspots on a national scale and connecting them with an assessment of EC may help in finding optimal strategies to balance conservation targets and competing land uses.

Keywords: ecosystem services; ecosystem condition; national MAES; multifunctionality; ecosystem services bundles; Central Europe; Hungary (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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