Charting progress towards system-scale ecosystem service valuation in islands

Abstract

Using islands as a model system, this paper seeks to understand how ecosystem service valuation (ESV) has and can move from a monetized, single-service paradigm to an integrated valuation paradigm, a participatory approach that represents a more diverse set of the values of nature, and beyond, to a more fully realized conception of the island social-ecological systems. A systematic literature review of 314 island ESV studies reveals developments in the design, implementation and adoption of ESV studies over time. We complement the review with three cases where this evolution is happening, thereby offering insights into successful means of translating ESV into information useful for island system-scale management, policy design and planning. Over the past 30 years, both the number of studies and the number of services addressed per study have steadily grown, and valuation methods have become more inclusive of multiple values. The cases reveal lessons for ESV practice. Insights are that ESV should increasingly: (i) recognize strong interconnections between ecosystems and between human and environmental systems; (ii) move towards more integrated valuation methods that better capture the diverse values of nature; and (iii) be based on an iterative process where knowledge and decision-support tools are co-created with decision-makers and stakeholders.

Investigation of Ecosystem Services and Circular Economy Interactions under an Inter-organizational Framework

“…Indeed, water resources have been widely cited as a prime example of ES, especially when the issue is valuation [38]. Because of the importance of water ecosystem services (ESw), they are being effectively evaluated in at least three aspects: clarity about the type of valuation employed; adoption of a strong theoretical basis guided by ecological knowledge; and the inclusion of analytical elements, map-modeling and imaging, which ensure social control in decision making [38,44]. Moreover, it can be noted that the scientific ecosystem services valuation (ESV) was evolved from the "ES under modeling, regional mapping, and geomorphologic imaging" conceptualization, to: "ES under water sources, wetlands, and aquifers", "ES under social contexts, anthropogenic activities, cultural traits, and public awareness" and (presently) "ES under economics background and governmental policies", thus satisfying the transition from one conceptual statement to another [17,31,[33][34][35]43,47].…”

Ecological challenges on small tourist islands: A case from Chinese rural island

“…Ecosystem service valuation has shifted from a monetized single‐service paradigm to an integrated valuation paradigm (Oleson et al, 2018; Polman et al, 2016). This shift accommodates concerns about islands' complex and dynamic nature in the sustainability assessment of islands.…”

“…Integrating biophysical surveys with social survey evaluation to improve the precision and robustness of evaluation results has become a new research trend. Several indicators and methods have also been developed to improve the accuracy of ecological threat assessment on islands, such as the Natural Ecosystem Damage Index (NEDI), Social Ecosystem Support Index (SESI), Island Ecological Vulnerability Index (IEVI), habitat quality, and tourism carrying capacity (Oleson et al, 2018; Xie et al, 2021). Spatial visualization techniques have gained importance, and Spatiotemporal quantification of ecosystem quality has effectively supported sustainable tourism decision‐making on islands (Sayre et al, 2019).…”

Evaluation and Driving Forces of Ecosystem Service Change in Maqu Alpine Wetland: An Emergy Approach

“…In general, ESV consists of two components: economic value and ecological value [17]. The most widely applied ESV research methods in previous studies have been the market approach [18], the nonmarket approach [19], and the InVEST model [20]. Only a portion of the benefits provided by wetland ecosystems can be directly traded in the market, and economic valuation methods are a powerful tool for valuing such ecosystem services (ESs) that can be directly assigned a monetary value [21,22].…”