Planning reserves for ecosystem services
Ecosystem services and biodiversity map differently, so conservation plans face spatial tradeoffs.
Source
Conservation planning for ecosystem services
What they did
Mapped seven benefit functions across 11,272 planning units and built MARXAN conservation networks for a California ecoregion.
What they found
Services had distinct spatial patterns and low correlations; places like Salinas Valley scored high for pollination but not other services.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Does not field-test whether implementing a network delivers measured service gains.
Key terms
- Ecosystem service
- Human benefit from ecosystems (e.g., pollination).
- MARXAN
- Spatial optimizer for reserve networks.
- Planning unit
- 500 ha analysis cell.
- Irreplaceability
- Selection frequency across solutions.
- Tradeoff
- Gains in one service cost another.
- Biodiversity feature
- Species/habitat conservation target.
Flashcards
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Benefit functions:
Common questions
Services mapped?
Seven.
Unit size?
500 ha.
MARXAN runs?
20 per service.
Correlations?
Generally low.
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