Integrating marine ecosystem conservation and ecosystems services economic valuation: Implications for coastal zones governance

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThis paper presents a preliminary attempt to estimate the awareness and value that society gives to the maintenance and protection of marine protected areas, linking the ecological and economic value scale assigned to the study. To accomplish this, we took as illustrative example the Biophysical Interest Zone of Avencas (ZIBA), in Portugal. The ZIBA spans over one ha and its coastal ecosystems present a very rich biodiversity, providing several socio-economic opportunities to society. To estimate the value that society attributes to this area we conducted a contingent valuation exercise, considering two different aspects: 1) the direct economic value that people state to conserve the ecosystem and 2) the willingness to contribute through the allocation of hours of voluntary work to its conservation. The values obtained indicate the dependence and importance of this ecosystem to local population (willing to pay to conserve it of 60 D per household per year and willing to give 3 h of voluntary work per year). The proximity of the local population to the protected area increases the willing to pay for its conservation; this could reveal a good local indicator of ecosystem valuation. This valuation exercise highlights the importance of coastal ecosystem services to society and draws attention to the benefits that local populations derive from those systems. These results have also implications in future governance actions regarding protected areas, as well as to justify for sustainable investments in coastal management efforts, to sustain the flow of coastal ecosystem services for current and future generations.

Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Oil Spill Impact and Recovery Pattern of Coastal Vegetation and Wetland Using Multispectral Satellite Landsat 8-OLI Imagery and Machine Learning Models

“…Globally, coastal ecosystems are the most densely populated zones [1,2], housing diverse elements like marine mammals, invertebrates and plants. Due to its locational interface [3], it is highly vulnerable to anthropogenic pollutants [4] such as plastics debris [3,5,6], metal debris, volatile methylsiloxanes [7] and oil spills. Oil spills are hazardous because of their long-term environmental impacts.…”

Major threats of pollution and climate change to global coastal ecosystems and enhanced management for sustainability

“…As the site of land and ocean interactions, coastal zone also acts as buffer zone between land and ocean. It protects uplands from storms and flooding and serves as filters removing pollutants and other land-derived materials before entering the ocean (Ferreira et al, 2017). Because of the enormous value provided, coastal zone is among the most densely populated regions of the world.…”

Sustainable financing of a national Marine Protected Area network in Fiji

“…People that rely heavily on marine resources and have an 'ownership responsibility' display sociocultural factors which result from consumer preferences consistent with other studies (Starkhouse, 2009). Due to income constraints, WtCT can be used as an eliciting method for stated preference studies in SIDS (Ferreira et al, 2017). Rather than expressing value for the good, respondents may be expressing their opinions of the scenario (VillegasPalacio et al, 2016).…”