Changes in biodiversity and trade-offs among ecosystem services, stakeholders, and components of well-being: the contribution of the International Long-Term Ecological Research network (ILTER) to Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS)

Maass, Manuel; Balvanera, Patricia; Bourgeron, Patrick; Equihua, Miguel; Baudry, Jacques; Dick, Jan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4180-9338; Forsius, Martin; Halada, Lubos; Krauze, Kinga; Nakaoka, Masahiro; Orenstein, Daniel E.; Parr, Terry W.; Redman, Charles L.; Rozzi, Ricardo; Santos-Reis, Margarida; Swemmer, Anthony M.; Vădineanu, Angheluta. 2016 Changes in biodiversity and trade-offs among ecosystem services, stakeholders, and components of well-being: the contribution of the International Long-Term Ecological Research network (ILTER) to Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS). Ecology and Society, 21 (3), 31. 14, pp. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-08587-210331

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Abstract/Summary

The International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network comprises > 600 scientific groups conducting site-based research within 40 countries. Its mission includes improving the understanding of global ecosystems and informs solutions to current and future environmental problems at the global scales. The ILTER network covers a wide range of social-ecological conditions and is aligned with the Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS) goals and approach. Our aim is to examine and develop the conceptual basis for proposed collaboration between ILTER and PECS. We describe how a coordinated effort of several contrasting LTER site-based research groups contributes to the understanding of how policies and technologies drive either toward or away from the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services. This effort is based on three tenets: transdisciplinary research; cross-scale interactions and subsequent dynamics; and an ecological stewardship orientation. The overarching goal is to design management practices taking into account trade-offs between using and conserving ecosystems toward more sustainable solutions. To that end, we propose a conceptual approach linking ecosystem integrity, ecosystem services, and stakeholder well-being, and as a way to analyze trade-offs among ecosystem services inherent in diverse management options. We also outline our methodological approach that includes: (i) monitoring and synthesis activities following spatial and temporal trends and changes on each site and by documenting cross-scale interactions; (ii) developing analytical tools for integration; (iii) promoting trans-site comparison; and (iv) developing conceptual tools to design adequate policies and management interventions to deal with trade-offs. Finally, we highlight the heterogeneity in the social-ecological setting encountered in a subset of 15 ILTER sites. These study cases are diverse enough to provide a broad cross-section of contrasting ecosystems with different policy and management drivers of ecosystem conversion; distinct trends of biodiversity change; different stakeholders’ preferences for ecosystem services; and diverse components of well-being issues.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-08587-210331
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Parr Watt
ISSN:	1708-3087
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	ecosystem integrity, ecosystem services, ILTER, long-term ecological research, PECS, site-based research, socio-ecosystem research, trade-offs among ecosystem services, transdiscipline
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	15 Dec 2016 16:31 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/515525

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