How ecosystem services are changing: an accounting application at the EU level

Ecosystem services accounts are a useful tool that provides relevant information on the role of ecosystems in delivering services, and the society benefiting from them. This paper presents the accounting workflow for ecosystem services at the European Union level adopted by the Knowledge Innovation Project on an Integrated system for Natural Capital and ecosystem services Accounting (KIP INCA) - a European Commission initiative. The workflow includes: 1) biophysical assessment of ecosystem services; 2) monetary valuation; and 3) compilation of accounting tables. Supply and use tables are presented for six ecosystem services assessed so far. The supply table shows woodland and forest, followed by wetlands, as the ecosystem types with the highest monetary value per unit area. Analyses of changes between 2000 and 2012 show an overall increase of the monetary value of ecosystem services, mainly due to an increase in demand for them. We also discuss advantages and disadvantages of adopting a fast-track approach, based on official statistics, in comparison to an accounting strategy based on spatial models. We propose a novel workflow for ecosystem services accounts, focused on assessment of the actual flow of ecosystem services, making a significant contribution to further development of the technical recommendations for ecosystem service

Ecosystem services accounts: Valuing the actual flow of nature-based recreation from ecosystems to people

Natural capital accounting aims to measure changes in the stock of natural assets (i.e., soil, air, water and all living things) and to integrate the value of ecosystem services into accounting systems that will contribute to better ecosystems management. This study develops ecosystem services accounts at the European Union level, using nature-based recreation as a case study and following the current international accounting framework: System of Environmental-Economic Accounting – Experimental Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EEA). We adapt and integrate different biophysical and socio-economic models, illustrating the workflow necessary for ecosystem services accounts: from a biophysical assessment of nature-based recreation to an economic valuation and compilation of the accounting tables. The biophysical assessment of nature-based recreation is based on spatially explicit models for assessing different components of ecosystem services: potential, demand and actual flow. Deriving maps of ecosystem service potential and demand is a key step in quantifying the actual flow of the service used, which is determined by the spatial relationship (i.e., proximity in the case of nature-based recreation) between service potential and demand. The nature-based recreation accounts for 2012 show an actual flow of 40 million potential visits to ‘high-quality areas for daily recreation’, with a total value of EUR 50 billion. This constitutes an important contribution of ecosystems to people's lives that has increased by 26% since 2000. Practical examples of ecosystem services accounts, as shown in this study, are required to derive recommendations and further develop the conceptual and methodological framework proposed by the SEEA EEA. This paper highlights the importance of using spatially explicit models for ecosystem services accounts. Mapping the different components of ecosystem services allows proper identification of the drivers of changes in the actual service flow derived from ecosystems, socio-economic systems and/or their spatial relationship. This will contribute to achieving one of the main goals of ecosystem accounts, namely measuring changes in natural capital, but it will also support decision-making that targets the enhancement of ecosystems, their services and the benefits they provide

Adopting a cross-scale approach for the deployment of a green infrastructure

The implementation of a Green Infrastructure (GI) involves several actors and governance scales that need adequate knowledge support. The multifunctionality of GI entails the implementation of a cross-scale approach, which combines assessments conducted at different levels and active stakeholder engagement. This paper provides a methodology to implement a cross-scale approach to support the deployment of a Regional GI. The methodology was tested in Lombardy Region (north-west of Italy), considering three relevant territorial scales and relative strategic and planning policies. The continental level representing the overall policy-context; the regional level, with its key role for guaranteeing landscape coherence and connectivity and the local level where planning actions are effectively designed and implemented. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the EU GI strategy were used as references for the continental level; at the regional level, a proposal of Regional GI was evaluated focusing on two Provinces (Varese and Lecco), three regional parks (Ticino, Adda Nord and Campo dei Fiori). At the local scale, the new development plan of the Municipality of Cassano d'Adda (Milan metropolitan area) was evaluated considering different possible scenarios. The regional GI was evaluated with respect to the capacity to provide Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES). CES were mapped using the ESTIMAP-recreation model. The model was adapted to the regional and local level with the active engagement of local stakeholders. Additionally, census data were analysed to obtain an overview of the equitable distribution of the CES amongst inhabitants. Results show that, in 78% of the census blocks of the study area, inhabitants have a high-value recreation resource within 4 km (31% within 4 km and 47% within 300 m). Unmet demand characterises 22% of the census blocks in the study area, clustered in zones with a high population density. The regional GI covers almost completely the two Provinces and the regional parks. In Varese Province: 68% of the territory is included in the regional GI, 82% of the census blocks local demand for recreation opportunities is met, but the population density is higher where the demand is unmet. The Province is characterised by a relatively old population (share of people older than 65 years 23.4%). In Lecco Province, 80% of the territory is included in the regional GI, in 96% of the blocks the local demand is met and the local population is relatively old (share of elderly population 22.12%). The three regional parks present significant differences, strongly influenced by the territorial context. The Campo dei Fiori Park is almost completely included in the regional GI. The entire local population has nature-based recreation opportunities in their close vicinity. Nevertheless, the population density is very low and citizens are relatively old. The majority of the Parco Adda Nord is included in the regional GI providing recreation opportunities to 90% of the census blocks within the Park boundaries. A total of 70% of Ticino Park is included in the regional GI, where local residents are relatively old (share of elderly population 23.78%) and 90% of local census blocks are close to nature-based opportunities. At local scale, we explored how the approach can be used to estimate changes in the CES potential provision and how this can be integrated into a site management plan. This paper demonstrated that the combination of studies in a cross-scale perspective enhances the understanding of GI multifunctionality. It provides a framework to adapt CES mapping models to the local setting with active stakeholders engagement. Moreover, it demonstrates that also highly urbanised areas, such as the Lombardy Region in Italy, can play a role in the deployment of a continental GI and can support biodiversity and nature protection

Indagine sull’Acarofauna in alcune aree cerealicole di Puglia e Basilicata

ACAROFAUNA IN SOME CEREAL AREAS OF APULIA AND BASILICATA (SOUTHERN ITALY) A faunistical study on mites in some cereal areas of Apulia and Basilicata was made during 1991-1993. 72 species, whose 12 are new for Italy and 1 for Europe, belonging to 31 different families have been carried out. The fundamental bio-ethological notes for each species are repor- ted. Key words: mites, Triticum durum Desf., faunistics, weeds. Una indagine sull’acarofauna in alcune aree cerealicole pugliesi e lucane è stata effettuata negli anni 1991-1993. Sono state rinvenute 72 specie, delle quali 12 nuove per la fauna italiana e 1 per l’Europa, appartenenti a 31 famiglie per le quali vengono riportati gli aspetti bioetologici essenziali. Parole chiave: acari, Triticum durum Desf., faunistica, infestanti

Ecosystem services accounting: Part I - Outdoor recreation and crop pollination

The Knowledge Innovation Project on an Integrated system of Natural Capital and ecosystem services Accounting (KIP INCA) aims to develop the first ecosystem accounts at EU level, following the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting- Experimental Ecosystem Accounts (SEEA-EEA). The application of the SEEA-EEA framework is useful to illustrate ecosystem accounts with clear examples and contribute to further develop to methodology and give guidance for Natural Capital Accounting. The aim of this study is to assess and account for two ecosystem services: outdoor recreation and crop pollination. Each service was assessed biophysically within the ESTIMAP toolbox, allowing us to quantify different service components: the service potential that the ecosystems can deliver; the demand for each service; and the actual flow of the service used based on the spatial relationship between the service potential and demand. The results of the biophysical assessment were then translated into monetary units using valuation methods consistent with the System of National Accounts. Valuation methods require the integration of the key variables of the biophysical model to quantify the actual flow. In this way, changes in the value of the service are strictly linked to changes in biophysical assessment, which includes potential, demand and their spatial relationship determining the actual flow. Accounting of outdoor recreation shows that at EU level, forest ecosystems have the highest value for outdoor recreation, although this varies among countries. Households are the users of the service, with Germany being the country with the largest share of population whose demand for daily recreation is covered. As demonstrated, countries with a larger share of population living within 4 km of recreational areas present higher level of life satisfaction. EU accounting shows an overall increase in the use of the service between 2000 and 2012 (26%), mainly due to the enhancement of the recreation potential, and, to a lesser extent, to an increase in the demand (population). These results are useful to support policy decisions related to land planning, aiming at guaranteeing the equitable accessibility to outdoor recreation opportunities (citizen rights): 38% of the population at the EU have limited accessibility to recreational areas (unmet demand). We estimated for 2012 an actual flow of 40 million potential visits to recreational areas per year (daily use), with a total value of 31 billion euro. At this stage, the full accounting cannot be given for crop pollination due to the lack of connection between the available valuation methods and the biophysical model assessing the service flow. In this sense, further research is needed to develop suitable methods to link the valuation technique with the biophysical model. In spite of these limitations, the crop pollination assessment provides useful results for the EU Pollinators Initiative. The work presented in this report highlights the importance of the spatial relationship between ecosystem service potential and demand. The changes in the use of the service quite often cannot be explained solely by changes in the potential and the demand, but also by their spatial relationship. When dealing with ecosystem services the spatial component is a key driver that needs to be integrated within the accounting framework for a consistent assessment. The spatial relationship between potential and demand is different for each service. Crop pollination requires the spatial overlap between potential and demand, whereas proximity is the key spatial feature for outdoor recreation. As shown by the two examples presented here, ecosystem service accounts significantly differ depending on the service being assessed, both conceptually and methodologically. Hence, further examples of ecosystem service accounting are needed to produce accounting tables for a representative number of service. Ultimately, the availability of this information represents a key input for the analysis of synergies and trade-offs between ecosystem services.JRC.D.3-Land Resource