Biodiversity in the context of ecosystem services: the applied need for systems approaches

Recent evidence strongly suggests that biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation continue. How might a systems approach to ecology help us better understand and address these issues? Systems approaches play a very limited role in the science that underpins traditional biodiversity conservation, but could provide important insights into mechanisms that affect population growth. This potential is illustrated using data from a critically endangered bird population. Although species-specific insights have practical value, the main applied challenge for a systems approach is to help improve our understanding of the role of biodiversity in the context of ecosystem services (ES) and the associated values and benefits people derive from these services. This has profound implications for the way we conceptualize and address ecological problems. Instead of focusing directly on biodiversity, the important response variables become measures of values and benefits, ES or ecosystem processes. We then need to understand the sensitivity of these variables to biodiversity change relative to other abiotic or anthropogenic factors, which includes exploring the role of variability at different levels of biological organization. These issues are discussed using the recent UK National Ecosystems Assessment as a framework.     

Invertebrates,ecosystem services and climate change

The sustainability of ecosystem services depends on a firm understanding of both how organisms provide these services to humans and how these organisms will be altered with a changing climate. Unquestionably a dominant feature of most ecosystems, invertebrates affect many ecosystem services and are also highly responsive to climate change. However, there is still a basic lack of understanding of the direct and indirect paths by which invertebrates influence ecosystem services, as well as how climate change will affect those ecosystem services by altering invertebrate populations. This indicates a lack of communication and collaboration among scientists researching ecosystem services and climate change effects on invertebrates, and land managers and researchers from other disciplines, which becomes obvious when systematically reviewing the literature relevant to invertebrates, ecosystem services, and climate change. To address this issue, we review how invertebrates respond to climate change. We then review how invertebrates both positively and negatively influence ecosystem services. Lastly, we provide some critical future directions for research needs, and suggest ways in which managers, scientists and other researchers may collaborate to tackle the complex issue of sustaining invertebrate‐mediated services under a changing climate.     

生物多样性与生态系统服务评估指标与方法

评估、模拟和预测全球生物多样性和生态系统服务的状态、趋势及其对人类福祉的影响,是当前生物多样性和生态系统服务研究领域的重要任务。指标和数据、模型和情景是推动生物多样性与生态系统服务评估研究理论建设和方法集成的重要工具。但是,目前对生物多样性和生态系统服务评估的指标体系和技术方法的综合对比研究相对缺乏。因而,系统评述了生物多样性和生态系统服务评估的概念框架、评估指标以及各类评估模型和方法的最新进展。生物多样性—生态系统功能—生态系统服务—人类福祉的级联框架是极具逻辑性的生物多样性和生态系统服务评估框架。现有的评估指标体系和模型方法还存在很多的问题和挑战,难以充分揭示生态系统服务的形成和影响机制、服务之间的联系和作用机理,有效地指导生态系统服务管理和决策制定。然而,这些评估指标和方法可为构建生物多样性与生态系统服务综合集成模型研究的框架提供重要的切入点。基于此,提出了生物多样性与生态系统服务综合集成模型研究的核心内容:i)目的:基于自然—社会综合特征的情景分析确定所解决的科学问题,输出生态系统服务管理和决策制定方案;ii)内容:尺度、生态系统服务类型、生物多样性的层次结构、组分间相互关系、驱动要素、多源数据的综合分析;iii)方法:对现有的各类模型和模型组合进行比较和不确定性分析,建立符合区域实际需求的生物多样性与生态系统服务综合制图模型库。在此基础上,建议我国应尽快发展适合中国区域特点的标准化指标体系和综合评估模型系统,定期对生物多样性和生态系统服务进行综合评估,掌握生物多样性和生态系统服务的变化趋势,提升我国在生物多样性和生态系统服务研究领域的国际地位和话语权。     

生态系统服务流研究进展

生态系统服务流是实现生态系统服务供给与人类需求耦合的重要桥梁,是当前生态系统服务研究的热点与前沿。科学理解生态系统服务从产生、传递到使用的全过程,明确区域生态系统服务供给与需求的平衡状况,对于实现区域可持续发展与提高人类福祉具有重要意义。在综合分析国内外相关研究的基础上,阐述了生态系统服务流的概念内涵,归纳总结了生态系统服务流的定量研究方法,并系统梳理了国内外生态系统服务流研究在理论探索与应用案例方面的研究进展;探讨了当前生态系统服务流研究中存在的问题和不足,包括:生态系统服务从供给区传递至需求区的空间转移规律尚不明晰、定量评估生态系统服务流的方法不成熟、面向应用的生态系统服务流的研究较为缺乏,以及人与自然耦合系统中生态系统服务流研究框架有待进一步完善。未来的研究需要重点关注复杂系统中生态系统服务流跨尺度、跨区域的传递过程,加强生态系统服务的空间流动过程与传递路径的定量分析与模拟,重视生态系统服务流的应用性研究,尤其是在生态恢复、生态补偿、城市规划等方面的应用,并完善人与自然耦合系统中生态系统服务流的研究框架,以期促进生态系统服务流研究的发展。     

基于核算目的的生态系统服务估价方法研究进展

开展生态系统服务价值评估不仅是健全生态系统核算方法、完善已有核算体系的重要环节之一,也是加快生态文明体制改革、建设美丽中国的关键技术之一。然而,已有文献少有根据核算目的对生态系统服务的估价方法进行系统梳理并加以区分,这将会从需求侧造成对生态系统服务价值的高估,使不同部门之间的测度结果产生不一致。本文基于生态系统核算目的,对生态系统服务的估价方法展开综述。首先,从生态系统服务的内涵与价值入手,对生态系统服务价值的分类方法进行梳理,总结了生态系统服务经济单位的途径,以识别生态系统服务纳入国民经济核算体系的程度;其次,系统阐述了已有生态系统服务估价方法的内涵、适用范围和数据需求;再次,从生态系统核算的角度,探讨不同类型生态系统服务所适用的估价方法;最后,分析了当前研究存在的不足,并对未来研究予以展望。     

Understanding relationships among multiple ecosystem services

Ecosystem management that attempts to maximize the production of one ecosystem service often results in substantial declines in the provision of other ecosystem services. For this reason, recent studies have called for increased attention to development of a theoretical understanding behind the relationships among ecosystem services. Here, we review the literature on ecosystem services and propose a typology of relationships between ecosystem services based on the role of drivers and the interactions between services. We use this typology to develop three propositions to help drive ecological science towards a better understanding of the relationships among multiple ecosystem services. Research which aims to understand the relationships among multiple ecosystem services and the mechanisms behind these relationships will improve our ability to sustainably manage landscapes to provide multiple ecosystem services.     

Ecosystem services classification: A systems ecology perspective of the cascade framework

Ecosystem services research faces several challenges stemming from the plurality of interpretations of classifications and terminologies. In this paper we identify two main challenges with current ecosystem services classification systems: i) the inconsistency across concepts, terminology and definitions, and; ii) the mix up of processes and end-state benefits, or flows and assets. Although different ecosystem service definitions and interpretations can be valuable for enriching the research landscape, it is necessary to address the existing ambiguity to improve comparability among ecosystem-service-based approaches. Using the cascade framework as a reference, and Systems Ecology as a theoretical underpinning, we aim to address the ambiguity across typologies. The cascade framework links ecological processes with elements of human well-being following a pattern similar to a production chain. Systems Ecology is a long-established discipline which provides insight into complex relationships between people and the environment. We present a refreshed conceptualization of ecosystem services which can support ecosystem service assessment techniques and measurement. We combine the notions of biomass, information and interaction from system ecology, with the ecosystem services conceptualization to improve definitions and clarify terminology. We argue that ecosystem services should be defined as the interactions (i.e. processes) of the ecosystem that produce a change in human well-being, while ecosystem components or goods, i.e. countable as biomass units, are only proxies in the assessment of such changes. Furthermore, Systems Ecology can support a re-interpretation of the ecosystem services conceptualization and related applied research, where more emphasis is needed on the underpinning complexity of the ecological system.     

稳态转换视角下生态系统服务变化过程与作用机制

优化生态系统服务供给是实现人类社会与自然生态系统和谐发展的必然途径。生态系统在平衡与非平衡之间复杂的转化模式使生态系统服务研究备受阻力,如何科学地解析生态系统服务内在调控机制是实现从自然资源利用到生态系统功能优化的关键。从论述生态系统稳态转换驱动机制入手,阐明扰动发生后稳态转换的路径、生态系统功能对扰动的响应模式;基于稳态转换视角深入诠释生态系统服务内涵及变化过程,以"结构-过程-功能-服务-人类福祉-可持续性"为核心架构来发展生态系统服务理论框架,并从生态系统敏感性和恢复力等内在属性探讨生态系统服务对结构和功能变化的响应情况;解析当土地利用变化超过生态系统阈值时,各项生态系统服务间的互馈作用。基于稳态转换视角评述生态系统服务变化过程与作用机制,以期为生态系统服务研究及生态系统管理提供新视角。     

生态恢复中生态系统服务的演变:趋势、过程与评估

经过10余年的发展,生态系统服务已经成为生态恢复研究关注的前沿和热点。生态恢复改变了生态系统格局与过程,对生态系统服务的产生和提供具有重要影响。但是目前对于生态系统服务在生态恢复过程中的演化仍缺少系统性研究。对国内外相关研究的最新成果进行综述,总结了生态系统服务评估中框架的构建和方法的选择(参数转移法、系统模型法和定量指标法),介绍了生态恢复对生态系统服务的促进作用、生态系统服务的演变过程以及不同生态系统服务间的协同与权衡关系,分析了社会经济因素对生态恢复和生态系统服务维持的影响。最后结合我国生态恢复实践,提出未来生态恢复和生态系统服务研究可以从深化作用机制研究、推动服务评估创新、增强研究成果应用3方面深化和拓展。     

生态系统服务与景观格局集成研究综述

生态系统服务是综合科学和政策应用的有效工具,可用于应对人类干扰下的景观和生态系统服务的快速退化等复杂生态环境问题。综述生态系统服务与景观格局集成的学科发展、基础理论和模型开发的进展与存在的问题,建立可用的集成建模框架,并提出知识集成的概念框架:1)在要素层,"政策-决策—景观—生态系统服务—社会经济系统"的跨学科知识反馈环是集成理论基础; 2)在模型层,结构化、多层次的集成模拟模型是核心方法; 3)在数据层,多源数据集成是模拟模型的数据基础。集成生态系统服务与景观格局为区域生态环境治理实践提供了科学参考,能更好地应对生态系统服务科学与应用的挑战。     

农作物景观生态研究:概念框架与研究方向

针对当前农业系统中农作物景观变化迅速、人地关系趋于复杂、粮食安全保障需求迫切，提出景观生态学和农业科学交叉产生的农作物景观生态研究这一新兴研究方向。通过构建农作物景观生态研究的概念框架，辨明农业生产中复杂的景观等级结构，为农业可持续发展提供理论依据。综述从农业景观到农作物景观的研究变化，指出农作物景观具有高动态性、尺度性和格局复杂特征。针对由种植者、消费者、耕地及其周边自然环境组成的农业景观，需要遵循相应的生态和农业经济发展规律，研究农作物种植格局变化、农作物的社会-生态效应和农作物种植可持续性的景观生态途径。重点开展以下四个研究方面的内容，农作物景观时空动态及其形成机理、农作物种植的多功能评价与权衡、景观农艺管理措施及情景模拟、可持续的农作物景观生态评价。从而构建"格局-过程-服务-管理-可持续性"的农作物景观生态研究范式，为农业可持续发展提供综合的空间分析与管理途径，为实现农业农村现代化与城乡人类福祉提升提供科学支撑。     

“山地-绿洲-荒漠”复合系统土地利用变化的生态系统服务权衡与协同效应——以张掖市为例

开展复合生态系统土地利用变化的生态服务效应研究可为优化国土空间格局和强化生态系统管理提供重要的基础依据。以干旱区"山地-绿洲-荒漠"复合系统的典型区域张掖市为例，基于1987年、2000年和2018年3期土地利用数据，以乡级行政区为基本单元，引入相对优势度指数划分山地、绿洲、荒漠子系统，研究复合系统的土地利用变化特征及生态系统服务权衡/协同效应。结果表明：（1）张掖市复合系统呈现地域分异特征，由南部山地系统，中部绿洲系统和北部荒漠系统构成；山地系统以林地和草地为主，绿洲系统以耕地和建设用地为主，荒漠系统以未利用地为主。（2）从时间上看，2000-2018年各系统的土地利用变化更强烈，其中，绿洲系统的耕地面积增加量最大，为363.08km²，荒漠系统的建设用地面积增加幅度最大，为78.23%。各系统土地利用转移模式为：山地系统以草地转耕地为主，绿洲系统和荒漠系统以未利用地转耕地为主。（3）张掖市复合系统的生态服务价值呈增加趋势，其中，荒漠系统生态服务价值量的增幅最大，各子系统的价值量之间的关系表现为山地系统 > 绿洲系统 > 荒漠系统，耕地对各系统生态服务价值贡献量最大。（4）张掖市土地利用变化的协同效应大于权衡效应，其中荒漠系统的生态服务之间均为协同关系，山地系统中供给服务与其他服务呈现权衡关系，占比32.73%，绿洲系统中调节服务与其他服务呈现权衡关系，占比18.18%。     

基于生态系统服务簇的深圳市生态系统服务时空演变轨迹研究

明晰生态系统服务的演变特征,有助于针对性的提出区域生态系统服务提升决策,对于维持和改善人类福祉、促进城市可持续发展具有重要意义。以深圳市为例,选取11种生态系统服务,以街道为基本空间单元,对生态系统服务结构特征进行分类,进而探究生态系统服务的长时序演变轨迹。结果表明,深圳市生态系统服务簇有6种类型,分别为水文调节主导型、文化支持潜力型、服务枯竭型、水文调节控制型、水源消耗型、生态保育型;1980—2015年深圳市大部分地区的生态系统服务簇结构稳定,变化明显的地区大多毗邻香港;生态系统服务簇的时空演变轨迹类型有8种,以持续型轨迹为主;生态系统服务簇的时空演变轨迹与城市扩张具有一定的一致性,表明城市扩张对生态系统结构和功能影响的主导性。     

生态补偿权衡关系研究进展

生态补偿是以市场机制解决环境外部性问题的方法,其典型特征是通过经济激励而实现生态系统保护和减贫的双赢,因此在世界范围内得到了广泛实施。权衡关系是生态补偿理论和实践中面临的问题和困境之一。生态补偿存在4种权衡关系:生态系统服务之间的权衡、监测成本与交易成本之间的权衡、公平与效率之间的权衡以及生态系统服务供应与减贫之间的权衡。分析了权衡关系的产生源于生态系统服务产生过程的不确定性、自然和社会经济系统的耦合性以及生态补偿实施背景的异质性,并提出应该在理论基础、实践模式和评估系统3个方面加强权衡关系的研究。     

雄安新区多尺度生态安全格局构建框架

维持城市所处的生态系统格局与过程,使得城市生存和发展所依赖的关键生态系统服务实现供需平衡是保障城市生态安全的根本要求和基本前提。因此,城市生态安全不仅是城市本身的问题,还涉及到城市所处的流域、区域、国家等多个不同的空间尺度,具体由支撑城市及其发展的关键生态系统服务所涉及的生态过程所决定。对生态安全概念及研究进展进行了梳理和分析,在此基础上,提出了一个城市生态安全保障的生态系统服务研究框架,将维持城市生态安全的关键生态系统服务需求分为3个层次：一是水资源供给、食物生产、水质净化等城市生存所依赖的基础资源与基本环境维持相关的服务,二是土壤保持、水源涵养、防风固沙、固碳释氧、生物多样性等生态系统稳定和可持续性维持相关的生态系统稳定和调节类服务,三是生态休闲、微气候调节、降尘减噪、文化审美等人居环境与文化类服务。进而利用该框架,从不同需求层次分别对雄安新区生态安全保障的生态系统服务需求进行了分析,结合其自然地理特征和新区建设的社会经济发展情景,从新区城市、大清河流域和京津冀区域三个尺度提出了雄安新区生态安全格局构建框架,以及相应的保障对策和建议,包括从多尺度进行生态环境调控和管理,打破行政和地域边界限制;关注各尺度各关键生态系统服务的过程,加强生态环境要素的监测和预警;重视新区在人居环境改善层次的生态系统服务需求等。     

景观空间异质性对生态系统服务形成与供给的影响

景观空间异质性与生态系统服务的关系极为密切,适当调整景观空间异质性有助于生态系统服务的持续形成与稳定供给。研究景观空间异质性和生态系统服务形成与供给之间的相互影响作用及响应机制具有重要的理论与现实意义,是保护生物多样性、管理生态系统服务与优化景观空间配置的基础。现有研究大多在不同尺度上探讨了景观格局与生态过程或生态系统服务间的相互影响关系,而缺乏景观格局-生态过程-生态系统服务三者间有效联结等方面的研究。景观空间异质性是怎样直接或间接地作用于生态系统服务形成与供给的,目前还没有一个较为明确的解释。因此,通过分析国内外文献,回顾了景观格局或景观空间异质性与生态系统服务之间关系的研究进展、研究内容和研究方法;从景观组成、景观构型的变化入手,讨论了景观空间异质性对生态系统服务形成与供给的影响及其强度,并认为景观组成异质性变化能够直接影响生态系统服务,而景观构型异质性变化会通过改变生态过程而间接影响生态系统服务;阐述了景观空间异质性在影响生态系统服务形成与供给的同时,也使生态系统服务在空间上产生了异质性分布,并从自然因素和人为因素两个方面对其进行解释;强调了尺度问题在景观空间异质性与生态系统服务研究中的重要性;最后,明确了对生态系统服务形成与供给的景观空间异质性影响研究不仅有助于生态系统服务的维持与调节,也能更深层次地揭示其中的生态学意义。     

Interactions of ecosystem properties,ecosystem integrity and ecosystem service indicators—A theoretical matrix exercise

The ecosystem service concept is becoming more and more acknowledged in science and decision-making, resulting in several applications in different case studies and in environmental management, but still it is developing in terms of definitions, typologies and understanding its complexity. By examining the interrelations between ecosystem properties, ecosystem integrity, biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being qualitatively, the mutual influences on each constituent of the ‘ecosystem service cascade’ are illuminated, giving an impulse for further discussions and improvements for a better understanding of the complexity of human–environmental systems. Results of the theoretical interactions are among others the assumption that provisioning services exclude or compete with each other, while the role of biodiversity was found to be supporting for regulating services and cultural services. Ecosystem services meet the criteria of being adequate human–environmental system indicators and therefore, they are an appropriate instrument for decision-making and management.     

丹江口水源区生态系统服务时空变化及权衡协同关系

研究区域多种生态系统服务之间的权衡协同关系特征,对不同生态系统服务、不同区域之间的协调发展,实现利益相关方效益最大化,达到区域发展与生态保护"双赢"具有重要意义。针对目前权衡协同定性分析、长时间动态变化研究不足的现状,以丹江口水源区为例,在采用"当量因子法"求得研究区生态系统服务价值的基础上,使用长时间整体分析占优的相关性分析方法和短时期动态变化分析占优的生态系统服务权衡协同度(ESTD)模型对研究区1990—2015年10种生态系统服务的权衡协同关系展开研究。结果表明:1990—1995年,丹江口水源区生态系统服务价值呈负增长,之后则呈不断上涨的时序变化趋势,增幅最大的生态系统服务为水资源供给。生态服务价值最高的用地类型为林地,其次为草地和水域。空间上,生态系统服务价值呈东南高西北低特征。在丹江口水源区生态系统服务之间相互关系中,协同关系占64%,是丹江口水源区生态系统服务之间的主导关系,权衡关系较少,且大多存在于供给服务与调节服务、文化服务、支持服务之间。丹江口大坝加高后,即2005年之后,水源区内生态系统服务之间的权衡协同方向有所改变,改变明显的生态服务有净化环境、水文调节和水资源供给。这3种生态系统服务与生态系统服务之间的权衡关系增多,除这3种生态系统服务外,其余几种单项生态系统服务与生态系统服务之间的权衡关系减少。     

An Integrated Framework for the Instrumental Valuation of Nature

Nature is most often valued in terms of its provision of ecosystem goods and services to meet human needs. However, such instrumental valuations, informed by ecological economics, are limited by the mainly anthropocentric orientation. We present a framework to assess anthropocentric and nonanthropocentric instrumental values of nature in a balanced way, in association with sustainability science. Particular attention is paid to ecosystem functions, to be valued both for their benefits to human beings and for their importance to the ecological and evolutionary functioning of the global ecosystem.     

Bioenergy crops,biodiversity and ecosystem services in temperate agricultural landscapes—A review of synergies and trade-offs

The Paris agreement on climate change requires rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. One important mitigation strategy, at least in the intermediate future, is the substitution of fossil fuels with bioenergy. However, using agriculture- and forest-derived biomass for energy has sparked controversy regarding both the climate mitigation potential and conflicts with biodiversity conservation. The urgency of the climate crisis calls for using forests for carbon sequestration and storage rather than for bioenergy, making agricultural biomass an attractive alternative for fossil energy substitution. However, this calls for comprehensive assessments of its sustainability in terms of consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this review, we provide a first holistic overview of the impacts on ecosystems of land-use changes from bioenergy crop production in temperate climates, by synthesizing results on both biodiversity and ecosystem service impacts. We found that bioenergy-related land-use changes can have both positive and negative effects on ecosystems, with original land use, bioenergy crop type and scale of bioenergy production being important moderators of impacts. Despite the risk of opportunity cost for food production, perennial crop cultivation on arable land had the lowest occurrence of negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Growing biomass for bioenergy on surplus land has been suggested as a way to alleviate competition with food production and biodiversity conservation, but our results demonstrate that utilizing marginal or abandoned land for bioenergy crop production cannot fully resolve these trade-offs. Furthermore, there is a lack of empirical studies of the biodiversity value of marginal and abandoned land, limiting our understanding of the sustainability implications of biomass cultivation on surplus land. We argue that future research and policies for bioenergy production must explicitly consider biodiversity and ecosystem services in combination to avoid potential trade-offs between the two and to ensure sustainable bioenergy production.