Areti Kontogianni

Quantifying the Contribution of Organisms to the Provision of Ecosystem Services

Research on ecosystem services has grown rapidly over the last decade. Two conceptual frameworks have been published to guide ecological assessments of organisms that deliver services—the concepts of service-providing units (SPUs) and ecosystem service providers (ESPs). Here, we unite these frameworks and present an SPU-ESP continuum that offers a coherent conceptual approach for synthesizing the latest developments in ecosystem service research, and can direct future studies at all levels of organization. In particular, we show how the service-provider concept can be applied at the population, functional group, and community levels. We strongly emphasize the need to identify and quantify the organisms and their characteristics (e.g., functional traits) that provide services, and to assess service provision relative to the demands of human beneficiaries. We use key examples from the literature to illustrate the new approach and to highlight gaps in knowledge, particularly in relation to the impact of species interactions and ecosystem dynamics on service provision.

Ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation: concepts and a glossary.

The RUBICODE project draws on expertise from a range of disciplines to develop and integrate frameworks for assessing the impacts of environmental change on ecosystem service provision, and for rationalising biodiversity conservation in that light. With such diverse expertise and concepts involved, interested parties will not be familiar with all the key terminology. This paper defines the terms as used within the project and, where useful, discusses some reasoning behind the definitions. Terms are grouped by concept rather than being listed alphabetically.

INTEGRATING STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS IN NON-MARKET VALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS

Abstract This study employs a mixed methodological approach, using questionnaire surveys of individuals and stakeholder focus groups to investigate economic values placed on a wetland surrounding Kalloni Bay on the island of Lesvos, Greece. The questionnaire survey of local people and visitors to the area included a rating exercise of four possible development scenarios, and each individual was then asked their willingness to participate in payment for their chosen scenario, and if they were willing to participate, they were then asked a willingness to pay question. Participants were also asked a series of attitudinal questions concerning the local environment and issues relevant to the area. This information was then combined with qualitative information derived from the focus groups, which elicited opinions from important local stakeholders, such as fishermen, elected representatives, constructors and hotel owners about their priorities for both conservation and development. By combining these methodologies, information and conclusions of greater relevance to policy makers can be obtained than using either methodology in isolation.

Combining qualitative and quantitative understanding for exploring cross-sectoral climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability in Europe.

Climate change will affect all sectors of society and the environment at all scales, ranging from the continental to the national and local. Decision-makers and other interested citizens need to be able to access reliable science-based information to help them respond to the risks of climate change impacts and assess opportunities for adaptation. Participatory integrated assessment (IA) tools combine knowledge from diverse scientific disciplines, take account of the value and importance of stakeholder ‘lay insight’ and facilitate a two-way iterative process of exploration of ‘what if’s’ to enable decision-makers to test ideas and improve their understanding of the complex issues surrounding adaptation to climate change. This paper describes the conceptual design of a participatory IA tool, the CLIMSAVE IA Platform, based on a professionally facilitated stakeholder engagement process. The CLIMSAVE (climate change integrated methodology for cross-sectoral adaptation and vulnerability in Europe) Platform is a user-friendly, interactive web-based tool that allows stakeholders to assess climate change impacts and vulnerabilities for a range of sectors, including agriculture, forests, biodiversity, coasts, water resources and urban development. The linking of models for the different sectors enables stakeholders to see how their interactions could affect European landscape change. The relationship between choice, uncertainty and constraints is a key cross-cutting theme in the conduct of past participatory IA. Integrating scenario development processes with an interactive modelling platform is shown to allow the exploration of future uncertainty as a structural feature of such complex problems, encouraging stakeholders to explore adaptation choices within real-world constraints of future resource availability and environmental and institutional capacities, rather than seeking the ‘right’ answers.

Cross-sectoral interactions of adaptation and mitigation measures

Adaptation and mitigation are complementary strategies for addressing the impacts of climate change, yet are often considered separately. This paper examines the literature for evidence of the interactions of adaptation and mitigation measures across the agriculture, biodiversity, coasts, forests, urban and water sectors, focusing on Europe. It found that often adaptation and mitigation synergies and conflicts were not explicitly mentioned within a sector, let alone between sectors. Most measures, however, were found to have an effect on another sector, resulting in neutral, positive (synergies) or negative (conflicts) interactions within and between sectors. Many positive cross-sectoral interactions involved biodiversity or water and thus these could represent good starting places for the implementation of integrated, cross-sectoral strategies. Previous studies suggest that adaptation and mitigation are undertaken on different time and geographical scales; this study found many local scale measures which could facilitate integration between both adaptation and mitigation. It is important that cross-sectoral interaction of adaptation and mitigation measures are explicitly recognised if they are to be mainstreamed into policy, so that positive outcomes are enhanced and unintended consequences avoided.

Valuing Coastal Systems

Integrated coastal zone management involves an assessment of development needs and economic inequality, pressures from population growth and mass tourism as well as social and cultural conflicts. In this context, economic valuation of coastal functions that provide goods and services is an important tool. Its applications and caveats are reviewed. Published value estimates range widely (i.e. 0.05–200,000 US

Linking Sea Level Rise Damage and Vulnerability Assessment: The Case of Greece

ha−1 y−1) depending on function valued, method used and local welfare (f.x. expressed as GDP). An argument is made that, despite this variation and despite imperfect knowledge of ecosystem complexity, societal preferences or the ’real value’ of nature, decisions on coastal development will be made and thus be helped best by the rational provision of scientific knowledge, from both natural sciences and socio-economics. A mixed methodological approach is therefore suggested to be most useful in practical, and multidisciplinary, situations. Three cases are presented of European valuation exercises at different spatial scales on the coast.

Principles for the application of the cost-effectiveness analysis in water quality sector

Throughout the course of modern history, coasts have been a substantial means of human development and an ever-growing number of people still continue to colonize the coasts worldwide. Coasts comprise dynamic and complex socio-ecological systems, encompassing a variety of biotic and abiotic elements. Their complexity and dynamics are reflected in the multiplicity of their forms. Their dynamic nature is responsible for their high productivity, leading both to periodic changes and gradual mutation. The marine ecosystems, by storing carbon dioxide and by releasing oxygen to the atmosphere through the living processes of the phytoplankton population, play a significant role in regulating climate. The coastal areas help create and preserve microclimates. The existence of coastal forests and wetlands ensures minimization of floods, erosion and other natural disasters, and offers valuable regulating and supporting ecosystem services. The importance of coastal resources for the prosperity of coastal areas can be specified through the ecosystem services and goods, which support the human life (Daily, 1997; Turner et al., 2001; Beaumont, 2007; Kontogianni et al., 2010a). The categorization of coastal services and goods is presented in Table 1. However, the ensuing anthropogenic activities of industrialization and economic growth have brought the coastal areas under intense pressure. Climatic change accentuates these pressures while it makes mean sea level rise (SLR) one of the most predictable and alarming impacts globally (Church et al., 2001; Nicholls, 2007). To make things worse, SLR is known to be rather inelastic against the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (OECD, 2006), a phenomenon known as “commitment to SLR”. That is, even if drastic reduction policies globally succeed in stabilizing the climate, SLR and the accompanying phenomena of coastal erosion and storm surges will continue to occur for centuries (Meehl et al., 2005; Wigley, 2005), causing possible tipping points for some systems (Tipping Points Report, 2009). This chapter examines the impacts of SLR on the Greek coastal zone and appraises their economic dimension. Researchers engaged in studies like this face two important issues. The first is the quantification of the economic impacts (damages) caused by the losses of coastal areas due to SLR. The second is the ex ante estimation of welfare gains from reducing SLR risks, since this estimation constitutes an important input for decision-making regarding

Group report: institutional and capacity requirements for implementation of the Water Framework Directory

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) provides useful information for the cost and the environmental effectiveness of alternative management options in realising a given environmental goal. The purpose of this paper is to present factors that could be considered essential for the identification of the most cost-effective combination of the measures for water quality management. The reviewed literature focuses on the control of anthropogenic eutrophication. However, there seems to be no research case studies where all factors suggested in this paper are examined. Furthermore, tables could be used as a tool in order to facilitate the consideration of these quantitative and qualitative data.

In Search of Marine Ecosystem Services Values: The V-MESSES Database

Different aspects of institutional and capacity requirements need to be considered to effectively put the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in place. This chapter tries to find the most effective way of managing the river coast continuum, to ensure an appropriate role for public participation, EU (‘Brussels’) policymakers and catchment managers. We find that coordinated action is needed to oversee the river-coast continuum. Cultural differences, varying from one EU member state to another, can influence the style and role of implementation of the WFD. There is a clear role for formal public participation in implementing the WFD, as the process of a higher level of organised public participation is unstoppable. A dialogue is needed that brings together community intelligence and scientific systems understanding for the sustainable management of flood-prone rivers and coasts.