Search results for "ecosystem ser"
showing 10 items of 209 documents
Optimal contract length for biodiversity conservation under conservation budget constraint
2014
We examine the optimal length of a contract period in a conservation program with payments for ecosystem services aiming at protecting biodiversity on privately owned forests. The government chooses the number of stands and the length of contracts so as to maximize biodiversity benefits under a binding conservation budget. We examine the implication of two alternative budgets: a separate budget for each period (periodic budget) or one budget that to be used in all periods (intertemporal budget). The impact of the budget type shows up in the fact that with intertemporal budget choice set is larger and more high quality stands are available for contracting. Based on theoretical characterizati…
Place-Keeping and Ecological Services. Una prospettiva di Studi
2016
La diffusione di azioni di appropriazione e gestione condivisa di aree verdi urbane residuali o degradate (place-keeping) rende manifesto un cambio di prospettiva da parte dei cittadini. Esse legano il dibattito sugli urban commons e sulle pratiche di condivisione alla più generale questione ecologica urbana, e inducono a un ripensamento degli standard in senso prestazionale. Il contributo presenta i primi risultati di una ricerca più ampia, tuttora in corso, che indaga i servizi ecosistemici erogati nei casi di place-keeping, evidenziando analogie e differenze rispetto alle aree verdi tradizionalmente pianificate, e analizza il ruolo e la partecipazione dei cittadini nel progetto e nella g…
Changes in the Spatial Structure of the Landscape of Isolated Forest Complexes in the 19th and 20th Centuries and Their Potential Effects on Supporti…
2020
This study assesses the changes in the spatial structure of the landscape between 1825 and 2019 in the isolated, protected forest complex of the Niemodlin Forests. Based on the analysis of changes in this structure, a change the supporting ecosystem services related to the protection of biodiversity was proposed. The landscape metrics were used separately for the analysis of the structure of the whole landscape, and individual types of ecosystems were used in the research. There were no major changes in the share of individual types of ecosystems during the period under review. At the same time, a very large increase in built-up areas and tree stands was found in 1825. Landscape metrics poi…
Plants in the UK flower a month earlier under recent warming.
2022
Global temperatures are rising at an unprecedented rate, but environmental responses are often difficult to recognize and quantify. Long-term observations of plant phenology, the annually recurring sequence of plant developmental stages, can provide sensitive measures of climate change and important information for ecosystem services. Here, we present 419 354 recordings of the first flowering date from 406 plant species in the UK between 1753 and 2019 CE. Community-wide first flowering advanced by almost one month on average when comparing all observations before and after 1986 ( p < 0.0001). The mean first flowering time is 6 days earlier in southern than northern sites, 5 days earlier…
Long-term impacts of increased timber harvests on ecosystem services and biodiversity: A scenario study based on national forest inventory data
2020
Abstract The transition to a climate-neutral economy is expected to increase future timber demands and endanger the multifunctionality of forests. National scenario analyses are needed to determine long-term forest management impacts and support forest policy making in defining guidelines for the sustainable provision of forests’ ecosystem services and biodiversity (ESB). Using national forestry inventory data, the forest management model MASSIMO and a model to estimate harvesting costs, we simulated forest development in Switzerland under five politically relevant timber harvesting scenarios until 2106 (business as usual and four increased timber mobilisation scenarios). Model results were…
Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties
2021
Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ec…
A new definition of soil to promote soil awareness, sustainability, security and governance
2022
Abstract In these last decades, the awareness that soil is a very important resource for humans has noticeably increased. Many actions and initiatives to promote soil governance, aiming at sustainable soil management and soil security have been undertaken by several national and international institutions and in many countries. Analysis of the changes of soil perception over the centuries allows highlighting a perfect harmony between the evolution of soil awareness and the level of knowledge and technology achieved by humans during their history and evolution. Notwithstanding these many achievements, soils continue to be scarcely considered in politics and society. We suggest some thoughts …
Modeling the influence of alternative forest management scenarios on wood production in the mediterranenan region. The MiMoSe approach.
2014
Ecosystem services (ES) are defined as the benefits that human obtain from ecosystems. Forest ecosystems provide many essential goods and services, such as flood and landslide control, erosion prevention and maintenance of soil fertility, water and air quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, recreational space for humans and aesthetic appreciation of natural landscapes, wood for fuel, construction and fibre, biomass for energy, and non-timber forest products. The quality and quantity of these goods and services are influenced by forest management, especially in the Mediterranean area where the forest has been exploited for a long time. In this study, we propose a method (MiMoSe- Multiscale…
Agriculture and grazing environments
2019
Abstract The increase in world population increases the pressure on soil resources and triggers land degradation. Agricultural and grazing environments are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to this process. Degradation affects importantly soil fertility. Millions of hectares are affected and soil productivity is endangered. This decreases soil ability to provide ecosystem services in quantity and quality. Managers and decision-makers should be open to adopt environmentally-friendly practices and contribute to land degradation neutrality. This chapter focuses on the problems induced by some of the most common soil degradation processes caused by in agriculture and grazing activities. Rev…
Taxonomy 2.0: computer-aided identification tools to assist Antarctic biologists in the field and in the laboratory
2020
Species inventories are essential to the implementation of conservation policies to mitigate biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem services and their value to the society. This is particularly topical with respect to climate change and direct anthropogenic effects on Antarctic biodiversity, with the identification of the most at-risk taxa and geographical areas becoming a priority. Identification tools are often neglected and considered helpful only for taxonomists. However, the development of new online information technologies and computer-aided identification tools provides an opportunity to promote them to a wider audience, especially considering the emerging generation of scientists…