Spatial analysis of ecosystem service relationships to improve targeting of payments for hydrological services

Payment for hydrological services (PHS) are popular tools for conserving ecosystems and their water-related services. However, improving the spatial targeting and impacts of PHS, as well as their ability to foster synergies with other ecosystem services (ES), remain challenging. We aimed at using spatial analyses to evaluate the targeting performance of Mexico\u27s National PHS program in central Veracruz. We quantified the effectiveness of areas targeted for PHS in actually covering areas of high HS provision and social priority during 2003-2013. First, we quantified provisioning and spatial distributions of two target (water yield and soil retention), and one non-target ES (carbon storage) using InVEST. Subsequently, pairwise relationships among ES were quantified by using spatial correlation and overlap analyses. Finally, we evaluated targeting by: (i) prioritizing areas of individual and overlapping ES; (ii) quantifying spatial co-occurrences of these priority areas with those targeted by PHS; (iii) evaluating the extent to which PHS directly contribute to HS delivery; and (iv), testing if PHS targeted areas disproportionately covered areas with high ecological and social priority. We found that modelled priority areas exhibited non-random distributions and distinct spatial patterns. Our results show significant pairwise correlations between all ES suggesting synergistic relationships. However, our analysis showed a significantly lower overlap than expected and thus significant mismatches between PHS targeted areas and all types of priority areas. These findings suggest that the targeting of areas with high HS provisioning and social priority by Mexico\u27s PHS program could be improved significantly. This study underscores: (1) the importance of using maps of HS provisioning as main targeting criteria in PHS design to channel payments towards areas that require future conservation, and (2) the need for future research that helps balance ecological and socioeconomic targeting criteria

Regionalización geomorfológica del estado de Veracruz

El conocimiento sobre el relieve dei estado de Veracruz requería de una actualización, por lo que con base en la clasificación del relieve mexicano efectuada por Lugo y Córdova (1990a; 1992), se elaboro un mapa de regionalización geomoriológica a escala 1:1 000 000, que contiene 37 unidades pertenecientes a seis provincias geomorfológicas con nueve subprovincias. Además de la escala utilizada, se aporta una amplia descripción de cada unidad, por medio de criterios moñol6gicos. morfom6tricos, litológicos y geoestructurales, así como por los procesos exogenos dominantes (erosión fluvial, sedimentación, carsificación). De acuerdo con la superficie, las principales unidades cartografiadas son los lomerios disecados, las planicies bajas de acumulación y las montanas con relieve modelado de disección. Su origen es reciente, esencialmente del Plioceno y del Cuaternario, lo que constituye una de las particularidades dominantes del relieve de Veracruz

Regionalización paisajística del estado de Veracruz, México

The landscape approach integrates important aspects of the natural environment integrating physical and biotic elements. This kind of landscape approach allows researchers to make maps of the different components and most of their interrelationships. The objective of this research was to present, in a cartographic work, a landscape map of the state of Veracruz according to Mateo's classification (1979), modified by Chiappy et al. (2000), which allowed other researchers to take rational decisions for the use of the natural resources. The methodology was based on the intercrossing of different maps using the IDRISI program and the assessment of the resulting combinations, classifying them in three different levels. The resulting map shows the heterogeneity of the complex territory and a great plurality of tropical and temperate habitats, that makes the state of Veracruz one of the most biodiverse ones in Mexico. A total of 28 landscape classes, 64 landscapes subclasses and 280 different types of landscapes were found.El enfoque paisajístico integra los aspectos relevantes del medio natural englobando elementos físicos y biológicos. Este tipo de enfoque paisajístico permite cartografiar los diferentes componentes y gran parte de las interacciones que se dan entre ellos. El objetivo de esta investigación fue presentar, en una obra cartográfica, el mapa de paisaje del estado de Veracruz, siguiendo la clasificación de Mateo (1979), modificada por Chiappy et al. (2000) que permitiera la toma de decisiones de forma racional para la utilización de los recursos naturales. La metodología se basó en el entrecruzamiento de diferentes cartas usando el programa IDRISI y la evaluación de las combinaciones resultantes, clasificándolos en tres diferentes niveles. El mapa resultante muestra la heterogeneidad del complejo territorial y una gran pluralidad de hábitats tropicales y templados, que hacen del estado de Veracruz uno de los más biodiversos de México. Se encontraron un total de 28 clases de paisajes, 64 subclases de paisajes y 280 tipos de paisajes diferentes

Distribution of interpolated marginalization index (a); prioritized areas of high ecological and social priority (b).

<p>Also are shown areas for high social priority (c) and the overlap between areas with hydrological and social priority with the zones targeted by PHS.</p

Overlap between modeled priority areas for ES and PHS targeted zones.

<p>Overlap between modeled priority areas for ES and PHS targeted zones.</p

Spatial overlap between priority areas for hydrological (a) and multiple ES (b) with eligible (dark blue) and payment zones (light blue).

<p>Spatial overlap between priority areas for hydrological (a) and multiple ES (b) with eligible (dark blue) and payment zones (light blue).</p

Variation between subwatersheds in the areas occupied by PAs, EZs, and PRs (A), and percentage of overlap of PAs found within EZs and PRs within EZs in each subwatershed (B).

<p>Variation between subwatersheds in the areas occupied by PAs, EZs, and PRs (A), and percentage of overlap of PAs found within EZs and PRs within EZs in each subwatershed (B).</p

Relación entre la heterogeneidad del paisaje y la riqueza de especies de flora en cuencas costeras del estado de Veracruz, México

La heterogeneidad del paisaje varía en el espacio dependiendo de la proporción entre polígonos y unidades tipológicas. La alta variabilidad del espacio geográfico le confiere una elevada connotación ecológica, lo cual sugiere una estrecha relación con la distribución de la biodiversidad. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer si se puede predecir la riqueza de especies a través de indicadores de variabilidad espacial. Para esclarecer esto, se exploró la relación entre heterogeneidad del paisaje y la riqueza de flora, en tres cuencas costeras del estado de Veracruz. La riqueza, dominancia, abundancia y diversidad de los paisajes resultaron variables explicativas de la riqueza de especies. Los modelos obtenidos explican más de 75% de la relación. Estos resultados indican que la riqueza de especies de flora puede ser pronosticada por valores de heterogeneidad del paisaje. Se sugiere explorar la probable existencia de zonas de elevada biodiversidad en áreas de difícil acceso o poco conocidas, con el uso de sensores remotos